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BiactBt  of  (Eanrnttimt 


FORMATIVE  PERIOD 

1784-1791 


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SAMIICI,    I'ETEKS 


BxottBt  of  Qlnnn^rttrut 


FORMATIVE   PERIOD 

1784-1791 

Edited  for 

THE  COMMISSION  ON  PAROCHIAL 

ARCHIVES 


BY 

JOSEPH   HOOPER 


PRINTED    FOR    THE    DIOCESE 
I913 


THE    TUTTLE,    MOREHOUSE    &    TAYLOR    COMPANY,    NEW    HAVEN,    CONN. 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  Commission  on  Parochial  Archives  has  the  honor  to  present  to  the 
Diocese  and  to  all  interested  in  the  history  of  the  Church  in  Connecticut 
its  third  publication. 

The  period  to  which  these  letters  belong  was  in  the  Church  as  in  the 
State,  one  of  experiment,  when  the  independence  of  the  Church,  as  of  the 
former  Colonies,  was  being  tested.  Hardship  and  suffering  were  the  lot 
of  many. 

The  Clergy  of  Connecticut  were  ready  to  endure  all  things  for  the  sake 
of  the  establishment  of  the  Church  upon  the  best  and  surest  foundations. 
They  had  chosen,  or  rather  designated  a  choice,  of  a  fit  person  to  be  their 
Bishop.  The  manner  in  which  they  met  the  difficulties  of  the  situation 
was  admirable. 

Letters  in  this  series  throw  new  light  upon  the  meeting  at  Woodbury  on 
the  feast  of  the  Annunciation,  1783,  and  show  true  loyalty  to  the  ancient 
and  catholic  polity  of  the  Christian  Church,  without  regard  to  the  expe- 
diency of  the  hour  or  following  the  suggestions  in  a  notable  pamphlet  by  a 
prominent  clergyman  to  the  southward.  Dr.  White,  afterward  Bishop  of 
Pennsylvania. 

Jeremiah  Learning,  Bela  Hubbard,  Samuel  Andrews,  John  Tyler,  and 
Ebenezer  Dibblee,  were  true  confessors  of  the  faith  whom  we  still  delight 
to  honor. 

William  Samuel  Johnson  stands  as  a  type  of  the  well-instructed,  devout 
layman,  serving  ably  both  the  Church  and  the  State. 

The  friend  to  whom  these  letters  were  sent  has  been  greatly  misunder- 
stood and  misjudged  by  many  of  his  contemporaries,  but  his  brethren  of 
the  clergy  were  near  his  heart  and  they  repaid  him  with  affection  and 
respect. 

The  preservation  of  the  papers  of  Dr.  Samuel  Peters  through  many 
vicissitudes  until  they  found  a  permanent  place  among  the  archives  of  the 
General  Convention  has  made  possible  a  revision  and  correction  of  our 
history. 

The  editor  has  prepared  the  absolutely  necessary  notes  covering  the 
essential  facts  in  the  lives  of  the  writers  of  the  letters  and  a  few  of  the 
persons  mentioned  in  them.  While  fuller  annotation  was  desirable  it  was 
impossible  within  the  limit  set  for  the  appearance  of  this  volume.  The  notes 
upon  Dr.  Bliss  and  Mr.  Mann  were  courteously  furnished  by  the  secretary 
of  the  Commission,  Mr.  F.  Clarence  Bissell,  Deputy  Comptroller  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut.  He  is  a  recognized  authority  upon  the  genealogy 
of  the  Peters  family  and  the  history  of  the  Town  of  Hebron. 

The  half-tone  illustrations  of  Dr.  Peters  and  Dr.  H\ibbard  are  taken 
from  the  best  known  likenesses  of  these  worthies. 

June  5,  1913.  J.  H. 


JOHN  BREYNTON. 

The  town  of  Halifax  was  laid  out  in  1748  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Honorable  Edward  Cornwallis,  Captain  General  and  Governor  of  Nova 
Scotia.  It  is  situated  on  the  western  side  of  a  deep  inlet  of  the  sea 
known  as  Halifax  Harbor.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  George  Montague, 
Earl  of  Halifax,  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Trade. 

An  ample  plot  opposite  the  Grand  Parade  was  reserved  for  a  church, 
and  a  parish  by  the  name  of  St.  Paul's  Church  was  organized.  The  frame 
of  a  church  building  was  ordered  from  New  England,  and  it  was  estimated 
that  it  would  cost  one  thousand  pounds  to  set  it  up.  It  was  said  by 
Governor  Cornwallis  to  have  been  a  copy  of  Marylebone  Chapel,  London. 
Those  who  know  both  buildings  have  declared!  that  it  was  identical 
with  St.  Peter's  Church,  Vere  Street,  London.  The  Rev.  William  Tutty 
was  sent  by  the  Venerable  Propagation  Society  early  in  1750  to  be  its 
minister.  On  September  2  of  that  year  he  formally  opened  the  building 
although  it  was  not  finished. 

In  1752  the  Venerable  Society  sent  the  Rev.  John  Breynton  to  be  his 
assistant.  Mr.  Breynton  had  been  a  chaplain  in  the  British  Navy  and 
was  at  the  siege  and  capture  of  the  fortress  of  Louisburg  in  the  summer 
of  1745.  He  at  once  gained  a  high  place  in  the  affection  of  the  people 
of  Halifax.  He  was  earnest,  active,  sympathetic,  and  efficient.  Mr. 
Tutty  soon  after  went  to  England  on  private  business  leaving  his  curate 
in  charge.  He  never  returned  and  died  in  1754.  Mr.  Breynton  was  then 
made  Rector  of  St.  Paul's.  Few  men  seem  to  have  left  a  deeper  impression 
on  a  community  than  he  did. 

He  was  pastor  to  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men.  He  went  into  the 
forests  to  show  the  squalid  Micmac  Indians  the  power  and  beauty  of 
Christian  faith  and  life;  he  made  himself  familiar  with  the  German 
language  that  he  might  minister  to  the  poor  Germans  settled  at  Lauenburg. 
He  was  the  friend  and  adviser  of  the  Loyalists  when  they  came  from  the 
former  American  Colonies  to  find  life  in  the  British  Province  less  ideal 
than  the  glowing  fancy  of  British  under-secretaries  had  pictured  it,  and 
to  be  sufferers  in  purse  and  person  from  the  unfulfilled  promises  of  the 
government  for  which  they  had  left  their  native  land  and  made  many 
sacrifices. 

His  friend,  Jonathan  Belcher,  the  first  Chief  Justice  of  Nova  Scotia, 
calls  him  "a  man  of  indefatigable  labors,  experienced  assiduity,  modera- 
tion and  perfect  good  acceptance." 

Dr.  George  W.  Hill,  the  fourth  Rector  and  historian  of  St.  Paul's,  says: 
"He  was  the  personal  friend  and  counsellor  of  the  successive  Governor 
and  Lieutenant  Governor,  the  associate  and  adviser  of  all  others  in 
authority,  the  friend  and  helper  of  the  poor,  the  sick,  and  afflicted, 
and  the  promoter  and  supervisor  of  education.  He  doubtless  deserved 
the   high   enconium   passed   upon    him    during   his   absence   by    a   brother 


—6— 

missionary,  the  Rev.  William  Bennett,  that  he  never  knew  a  man  so 
universally  regretted  by   every   individual  of   every  denomination." 

After  his  hard  and  successful  work  of  thirty-three  years  Dr.  Breynton 
went  to  England  upon  a  leave  of  absence  in  the  fall  of  1785,  leaving  the 
parish  in  charge  of  his  curate,  the  Rev.  Joshua  Wingate  Weeks,  formerly 
missionary  at  St.  Michael's  Church,  Marblehead,  Massachusetts. 

He  fully  expected  to  return  but  for  some  unknown  reason  did  not,  to 
the  great  disappointment  of  the  whole  parish. 

EXTRACT. 

I  have  your  favor  of  5  &  17  feb.  &  M',  Weeks  informs  me 
I  am  to  expect  a  thundering  Episcopate  by  D^  Byles.  I  found 
Col.  Fanning  has  a  Letter  from  you  of  a  much  later  Date  by 
which  we  are  informed  of  your  Successful  efforts  for  the  worthy 
Houseal.  That  measure  will  be  attended  with  more  salutary' 
Consequences  than  are  to  be  expected  from  the  heaven  horn 
preacher  &  military  Confessor — D',  Seabury  or  Bishop  Sea- 
bury  stay'd  ten  Days  with  us,  was  treated  with  great  civility 
by  all  that  I  &  Col.  Hannory  could  influence.  He  preached 
here  in  my  Church  &  performed  very  well. 

John  Breynton. 
Halifax  l!^ova  Scotia 
3  May  1Y85. 


JOSHUA  WINGATE  WEEKS. 

Joshua  Wingate,  a  son  of  Colonel  John  and  Martha  Weeks,  was  born 
at  Hampton,  New  Hampshire.  He  was  well  prepared  for  College  and 
graduated  from  Harvard  in  1758.  He  studied  for  the  holy  ministry,  and 
went  to  England  late  in  1762.  He  was  made  deacon  and  ordained  priest 
in  the  spring  of  1763,  and  on  April  17  of  that  year  licensed  by  the  Bishop 
of  London  to  officiate  in  the  Plantations. 

He  was  appointed  by  the  Venerable  Propagation  Society  as  Missionary 
of  St.  Michael's  Church,  Marblehead,  Massachusetts.  He  served  faithfully 
and  acceptably  until  the  approach  of  the  Revolution.  The  old  seaport 
was  intensely  patriotic,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  wealthy  merchants, 
and  the  fishermen  and  sailors  who  made  up  the  greater  part  of  its 
population  tolerated  no  one  who  adhered  to  King  and  Church.  In  1775 
he  took  refuge  with  his  brother-in-law,  the  Rev.  Jacob  Bailey  of  Pownal- 
borougli  in  the  District  of  Maine.  He  returned  with  his  family  in  June, 
1776.     It  is  understood  that  he  did  not  open  the  Church  but  ministered 


in  private  houses  and  to  the  sick  and  afflicted.  In  the  summer  of  1778 
he  was  again  compelled  to  flee  from  the  violence  of  the  patriots  to 
Rhode  Island,  leaving  his  family  in  the  parsonage.  Mrs.  Weeks  and  her 
eight  children  were  provided  with  passage  to  Nova  Scotia  in  the  fall 
of  that  year.  They  were  courteously  received  at  Halifax  and  through  the 
generous  kindness  of  Dr.  Breynton  provision  made  for  their  support. 
Mr.  Weeks  went  from  Newport  to  New  York  City  in  September  and 
soon  after  sailed  for  England.  He  was  given  by  the  Venerable  Society 
the  mission  of  Annapolis  Royal  with  a  salary  of  one  hundred  and  forty 
pounds,  vacant  by  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Wood  in  December,  1778. 
While  in  England  he  accused  his  former  friend  and  neighbor,  the  Rev. 
Edward  Bass  of  Newburyport,  afterwards  the  first  Bishop  of  Massachusetts, 
of  disloyalty.  As  a  consequence,  after  a  blameless  ministry  of  twenty-six 
years,  he  was  deprived  of  his  stipend  and  dismissed  from  the  Society's 
service  upon  the  verge  of  old  age.  The  most  impartial  testimony  shows 
that  he  was  a  friend  to  the  British  government  although  in  some  particu- 
lars Dr.  Bass  yielded  to  the  request  of  his  parishioners  in  the  conduct  of 
the  service;  many  of  them  being  strong  patriots.  Mr.  Weeks  arrived 
at  Halifax  July  16,  1779,  and  found  his  succession  at  Annapolis  resisted 
by  a  strong  party  having  the  support  of  many  provincial  officials  who 
desired  the  appointment  of  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Fisher  who  had  for  two 
years  been  Mr.  Wood's  assistant.  A  friend.  Colonel  Rogers,  made  him 
Chaplain  of  his  battalion,  known  as  the  Orange  Rangers.  While  the  con- 
troversy over  the  charge  of  Annapolis  was  in  progress  Mr.  Weeks,  after 
paying  one  or  two  visits  to  the  town,  remained  in  Halifax,  assisting  in 
St.  Paul's  Church  and  serving  in  turn  with  Dr.  Mather  Byles  as  Chaplain 
to  the  garrison.  In  1781,  displeased  at  his  neglect,  the  Venerable  Society 
dismissed  him  from  their  service  and  off'ered  Annapolis  to  Dr.  Byles  or, 
if  he  rejected  it,  to  Mr.  Bailey.  As  Dr.  Byles  refused,  Mr.  Bailey  took 
up  his  residence  in  August,  1782.  An  unpleasant  controversy  then  took 
place  with  his  brother-in-law  over  the  Chaplaincy  to  the  garrison  which 
Mr.  Weeks  contended  was  his  by  right.  It  appears  that  for  some  time 
Mr.  Weeks  received  the  salary  and  Mr.  Bailey  performed  the  duties. 

In  1784  Mr.  Weeks  went  to  England,  submitted  an  apology  to  the  Society 
and  was  once  more  admitted  to  their  favour  on  condition  that  he  would 
resign  any  claim  to  the  Chaplaincy  at  Annapolis  Royal.  Mr.  Weeks  was 
in  charge  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Halifax,  after  the  departure  of  Dr. 
Breynton  for  England  in  September,  1785,  until  the  arrival  of  Dr. 
Stanser  in  1791. 

In  1793  he  took  charge  of  the  mission  of  Preston  where  he  remained 
until  1795  when  he  was  transferred  to  Guysbo rough  where  he  died  in 
1804.  Mr.  Weeks  married  in  1763  Mary  Treadwell  of  Ipswich,  Massachu- 
setts. They  had  eight  children.  One  of  his  sons,  Charles  William 
Weeks,  became  a  clergyman  and  served  in  1799  Weymouth,  Guysborough, 
in  succession  to  his  father;  Manchester  from  1834  to  1836,  and  was  visit- 
ing missionary  from  1837  to  1842.  A  grandson,  Joshua  Wingate,  a  son 
of   the   Rev.    Charles   William   Weeks,   was   ordained   priest    in    1829    and 


served  Cornwallis  and  New  Dublin.  A  daughter  married  October  5,  1789, 
the  Rev.  William  Twining,  the  missionary  at  Rawdon,  She  was  the 
mother  of  the  Rev.  John  Thomas  Twining,  the  friend  of  that  Christian 
soldier.  Captain  Hedley  Vican. 

MATHER  BYLES. 

Mather,  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mather  Byles  of  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
was  born  in  that  town  January  12,  1735.  His  father  was  one  of  the  best 
known  Congregational  ministers  of  his  day  and  noted  for  his  pungent 
wit  and  an  intense  dislike  to  prelacy  and  the  Church  of  England.  He  was 
well  prepared  under  his  father's  direction  for  College  and  graduated  from 
Harvard  in  1751.  He  studied  theology  and  in  November,  1757,  became 
the  successor  of  Dr.  Eliphalet  Adams  in  the  First  Church  of  Christ, 
New  London,  Connecticut.  It  had  been  formed  in  1650  and  had  for  its 
first  minister  Richard  Blinman.  Mr.  Byles  was  a  man  of  great  intellect, 
a  vigorous  thinker  and  a  clear  and  convincing  speaker.  The  people  were 
charmed  with  him  and  admired  his  sermons  which  were  profound,  attrac- 
tive and  eloquent.  Tradition  says  that  he  was  "grand  and  lordly  in  his 
ways,"  but  the  people  were  proud  of  him  and  fascinated  by  his  brilliant 
and  powerful  personality. 

There  was  both  incredulity  and  indignation  when  he  announced  in  April, 
1768,  that  he  had  become  a  convert  "to  the  ritual  of  the  Church  of 
England."  There  was  much  denunciation  of  him  by  his  congregational 
brethren,  and  scurrilous  songs  and  lampoons  written  about  him. 

He  sailed  for  England  in  May,  1768,  was  made  deacon  and  ordained 
priest  by  Dr.  Richard  Terrick,  Bishop  of  London.  He  was  licensed  to 
officiate  in  the  Plantations  June  29,  1768.  He  soon  after  received  from 
the  University  of  Oxford  the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Divinity.  Upon  his 
return  he  became  the  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  in  succession  to 
the  Rev.  James  Greaton.  He  was  much  admired  and  did  an  excellent 
work.  In  1775  he  was  appointed  by  the  Venerable  Society  to  St.  John's 
Church,  Portsmouth,  but  never  assumed  that  position  owing  to  the  dis- 
turbances of  the  Revolution.  He  sailed  with  his  family  from  Boston  for 
Halifax  with  the  British  fleet  in  the  summer  of  1776.  He  became  Chaplain 
to  the  garrison  at  Halifax  and  also  assisted  Dr.  Breynton  in  St.  Paul's 
Church.  Here  he  gained  new  friends  and  a  high  reputation  for  his 
learning  and  adaptability  to  new  conditions  of  life.  In  1778  he  was 
among  a  large  number  of  Loyalists  proscribed  and  banished  by  the  State 
of  Massachusetts. 

The  parish  of  St.  John,  New  Brunswick,  where  a  church  had  been  erected 
about  1783,  of  which  the  Rev.  George  Bissett  in  that  year  became  Rector, 
was  vacant  by  the  sudden  death  of  its  first  incumbent,  March  3,  1788. 
A  new  church  had  been  commenced  to  bear  the  name  of  Trinity  Church, 
the  cornerstone  of  which  was  laid  by  Bishop  Inglis  August  20,  1788. 
Dr.  Byles  accepted  the  rectorship  in  the  spring  of  1789  and  took  charge 
on  May  4  of  that  year. 


— 9— 

He   remained   loving   and   beloved   until  his   death,   March    12,    1814,   in 
the  eightieth  year  of  his  age. 


BERNARD  MICHAEL  HOWSEAL. 

Mr.  Howseal  had  been  for  many  years  senior  pastor  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  New  York  City.  In  1776  he  was  among  the  signers  of  an 
address  of  welcome  to  Lord  Howe. 

He  went  to  Halifax  with  the  British  fleet  in  1783  and  took  charge  of 
the  German  Congregation  at  Lunenburgh  near  Halifax.  In  1786  he  went 
to  England,  was  made  deacon  and  ordained  priest.  He  was  then  made 
Rector  of  the  German  Congregation  and  served  with  rare  devotion  and 
patience  until  his  death,  March  9,  1799. 

He  is  described  as  a  worthy  man  who  suffered  severely  by  the  Revolution. 
He  was  humble,  devout  and  did  great  good. 


EDMUND  FANNING. 

Edmund,  a  son  of  Captain  James  and  Hannah  (Smith)  Fanning,  was 
born  at  Riverhead,  Long  Island,  in  1737.  His  grandfather,  Thomas 
Fanning,  had  been  a  prominent  resident  of  Groton,  Connecticut. 

He  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1757,  as  a  Berkeley  scholar.  He 
studied  law  and  in  1760  settled  at  Hillsborough,  then  Childsburgh,  North 
Carolina.  In  1763  he  was  Register  of  Deeds  and  Colonel  of  the  Militia 
of  Orange  County.  He  was  highly  esteemed  and  entered  largely  into  the 
political  and  social  life  of  the  Province.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor 
William  Tryon  in  March,  1766,  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  for  the 
District  of  Salisbury.  He  was  also  elected  in  that  year  to  the  Assembly 
and  sat  in  that  body  for  five  successive  terms  where  he  was  useful  and 
active.  A  body  known  as  the  Regulators  attacked  in  1768  his  house, 
claiming  that  he  exacted  illegal  fees  as  Register.  Consequently  he  was 
defeated  at  the  next  election  as  representative  of  the  County.  Governor 
Tryon,  however,  allowed  Hillsborough  representation  and  Colonel  Fanning 
was  returned  from  that  town.  In  September,  1770,  the  Regulators  took 
Judge  Fanning  from  the  bench  and  after  beating  him  destroyed  his  house 
and  household  possessions. 

Upon  the  removal  in  June,  1774,  of  Governor  Tryon  to  New  York, 
Colonel  Fanning  accompanied  him  as  private  secretary.  In  1774  the  Gov- 
ernor made  him  Surveyor  General  of  the  Province  of  New  York  which  he 
held  in  connection  with  that  of  Surrogate  of  New  York  City  to  which  he 
was  appointed  in  1771. 

In  1776  and  1777  he  raised  a  regiment  made  up  of  Loyalists,  which 
was  named  the  Associated  Refugees  or  King's  American  Regiment  of 
Foot.  Dr.  Samuel  Seabury  was  the  Chaplain.  It  is  said  by  many  writers 
that    members    of    the    Regiment    were    rude,    cruel    and    grasping.      He 


—10— 

remained  in  the  British  service  until  near  the  close  of  the  Revolution  when 
he  went  to  Halifax. 

He  was  made  Colonel  in  the  British  Army  in  December,  1782,  and  in 
September,  1783,  was  appointed  counsellor  and  Lieutenant  Governor  of 
the  Province  of  Nova  Scotia.  In  1787  he  was  made  Lieutenant  Governor 
of  the  Island  of  St.  John's,  now  Prince  Edward  Island,  in  the  Gulf  of 
St.  Lawrence.  He  was  here  charged  with  tyranny.  The  complaint  was 
brought  before  the  Privy  Council  and  dismissed  in  August,  1792.  In  October, 
1793,  he  was  promoted  to  be  Major  General  and  in  June,  1799,  advanced 
to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  General.  In  May,  1806,  he  resigned  as  Governor. 
In  April,  1808,  he  was  made  General.  His  closing  years  were  spent  in 
London.  He  died  February  28,  1818,  in  his  eighty-first  year.  A  widow 
and  three  daughters  survived  him.  His  only  son,  who  was  a  captain  in 
the   Twenty-Second   Foot,   died  in    1812,   leaving  his   father   grief-stricken. 

\^liile  he  is  bitterly  denounced  by  writers  on  North  Carolina  history 
and  the  Revolution,  others  who  knew  him  at  a  later  period  give  him  a 
most  exalted  character.  He  was  honored  in  1774  with  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Civil  Law  by  the  University  of  Oxford  and  with  that  of  Doctor 
of  Law  by  Yale  and  Dartmouth  in  1803.  In  writing  to  his  classmate, 
the  Rev.  Eden  Burroughs,  asking  for  the  honors,  he  claimed  to  have  saved 
Yale  College  when  General  Tryon  in  the  summer  of  1779  made  his  famous 
raid  along  Long  Island  Sound,  burning  and  pillaging  several  towns. 


JOHN  PETERS. 

John,  a  son  of  Colonel  John  and  Lydia  (Phelps)  Peters,  was  born  at 
Hebron,  Connecticut,  June  30,  1740.  He  was  a  nephew  of  Dr.  Peters. 
He  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1759.  He  settled  at  Hebron  where  he 
opened  a  law  office.  In  1766  he  removed  to  the  new  town  of  Bradford, 
now  in  Orange  County,  Vermont.  This  was  supposed  to  be  in  the  Province 
of  New  York.  He  held  a  very  high  position  in  the  community  and 
was  much  respected  by  all  the  people.  Grovernor  Tryon  made  him,  in  1770, 
clerk  of  the  new  County  of  Gloucester  and  Associate  Justice  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas.  In  1772  he  was  made  Colonel  of  Militia  and  in 
October,  1774,  Lieutenant  Governor  Colden  made  him  Chief  Judge  of 
the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  He  suffered  much  insult  from  the  Green 
Mountain  boys  because  he  was  loyal  to  his  King  and  in  1776  he  fled 
to  Canada  leaving  his  family  and  home.  In  1777  he  was  made  Lieutenant 
Colonel  of  the  Queen's  Loyal  Rangers.  He  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Bennington  in  October,  1777,  after  which  he  escaped  to  Canada  making 
a  perilous  journey  through  the  woods.  He  returned  for  his  family  and 
established  them  comfortably  on  Cape  Breton  Island  and  then  went  to 
London  to  prosecute  before  the  Claims  Commissioners  his  claim  for  losses 
and  back  pay  as  Lieutenant  Colonel.  He  spent  three  years  without  accom- 
plishing his  purpose.  He  died  of  gout  in  the  head  and  stomach,  January 
11,  1788,  in  the  forty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  He  left  a  wife,  six  sons  and 
one  daughter. 


—11- 


JOSEPH  PETERS. 

Joseph,  a  son  of  William  and  Hannah  (Cheney)  Peters,  was  born  at 
Dedham,  Massachusetts,  in  that  part  of  the  town  now  Walpole,  December 
11,  1729.  He  settled  in  Mendon  and  removed  to  Watertown,  Massachusetts. 
As  he  was  a  staunch  loyalist  he  went  after  the  Revolution  to  Halifax,  Nova 
Scotia.  Here  he  received  much  consideration  and  served  for  many  years  as 
postmaster-general  of  Halifax  and  afterward  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court. 
He  died  February  13,  1800,  in  the  seventy-first  year  of  his  age.  He  married 
Abigail  Thompson.  Their  children  were:  Abigail,  who  died  in  Medfield, 
Massachusetts,  December  30,  1829,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years.  She 
was  unmarried.  Moses,  born  at  Waterford,  Massachusetts,  April  26,  1752, 
died  at  Mendon,  Massachusetts,  December  29,  1810.  He  married  Eleanor 
Penniman. 

EXTKACT. 

I  received  your  highly  esteemed  favor  of  the  19th  February, 
by  his  Grace  the  Right  Reverend  &c  Bishop  Seabury — whom  I 
have  heard  Preach,  but  I  fail'd  in  obtaining  what  I  thought  a 
reasonable  Share  of  his  Company,  he  being  perpetually  dragged 
about  while  he  was  here — his  Preaching  is  highly  esteemed 
here,  and  I  my  self  am  much  pleased  with  his  person  as 
a  man,  a  Gentleman  and  Divine — God  send  him  success — but 
I  am  afraid  he  will  not  meet  the  treatment  he  hath  a  right  to 
expect  from  the  blue  Connecticutites.  I  wish  I  may  be  found 
in  a  mistake. 

Our  Printers  are  the  most  dastardly  Sycophants  I  ever  saw — 
I  did  not  chuse  to  be  seen  in  the  affair  for  some  reasons,  but 
I  Wrote  the  matter  out  and  sent  it  first  to  one  and  then  (upon) 
his  omitting  it)  to  the  other,  one  being  a  Kew  England  Saint 
and  a  disciple  of  the  Holy  Sandiman,  and  the  other  a  Ger- 

who  professes  to  be  a  Saint  of  Luther ; 
man,      neither  of  which  had  Courage  to  show  to  the  World  so 
innocent  a  piece  of  Intelligence — His  Grace  is  gone  by  Water, 
to  Annapolis  and  New  Brunswick. 

Joseph  Peters 


-12- 


SAMUEL  ANDREWS. 

Samuel,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Abigail  (Tyler)  Andrews,  was  born  in 
Wallingford,  Connecticut,  April  27,  1737.  His  father's  farm  occupied  a 
tract  of  land  "about  a  mile  west  of  the  present  railroad  station  in 
Meriden"     near   the   famous    Hanging   Hills. 

Through  the  influence  of  a  son,  Laban,  who  had  been  apprenticed  to 
Captain  Macock  Ward,  the  family  had  conformed  to  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. Captain  Ward  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  town,  a  staunch  sup- 
porter of  Union  Church,  as  it  was  then  called,  built  near  the  North 
Haven  line  so  as  to  accommodate  the  Churchmen  of  North  Haven, 
Cheshire  and  Wallingford. 

The  family  early  determined  that  the  youngest  son,  Samuel,  should 
become  a  clergyman.  He  was  given  as  good  an  education  as  was  then 
possible  in  the  common  schools  and  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1759. 
He  acted  while  in  College  and  for  two  years  after  as  lay  reader.  He 
went  to  England  in  April,  1761,  and  was  made  deacon  August  23  and 
priest  August  24  of  that  year  by  Dr.  Thomas  Hayter,  Bishop  of  London, 
and  in  October  licensed  by  that  Bishop  to  officiate  in  the  Plantations. 

After  his  arrival  home  in  March,  1762,  he  took  charge  of  St.  Paul's 
Church,  Wallingford,  with  Cheshire  and  North  Haven.  He  was  already 
known  and  respected  and  under  his  care  the  Church  in  each  of  the  three 
towns  grew. 

Mr.  Andrews  was  a  Loyalist  but  when  the  proclamation  was  made 
of  a  Fast  Day  in  July,  1775,  he  opened  the  church  and  preached  a 
sermon  from  the  text:  "I  hate,  I  despise  your  feast  days,  and  I  will 
not  dwell  in  your  solemn  assemblies."  Amos  5:21.  In  the  course  of  the 
sermon  he  urged  his  hearers  to  consider  the  power  and  resources  of  Eng- 
land and  beware  how  they  aroused  the  ministry  and  people  of  the  mother- 
land. The  granting  of  liberty  and  equality,  he  said,  is  absurd  when  so 
many  are  held  in  slavery  in  various  parts  of  the  colonies. 

The  sermon  aroused  much  resentment,  althougli  there  is  in  it  no  violent 
denunciation  but  a  calm  and  plain  setting  forth  of  political  principles  which 
he  thought  right  and  just.  Only  his  positive  goodness  and  high  Christian 
character  and  the  regard  in  which  he  was  held  saved  him  from  violence. 
As  it  was,  he  was  placed  under  heavy  bonds  and  confined  within  limits. 
No  services  were  held  in  the  Church  until  1778,  when  the  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don allowed  churches  to  be  opened  and  the  prayers  for  the  King  and  Royal 
Family  omitted. 

When  the  Revolution  ended,  Mr.  Andrews  with  others  who  had  remained 
true  to  their  convictions  found  the  greater  part  of  their  congregation  not 
only  in  poverty  but  also  enthusiastic  adherents  of  the  new  Republic. 
The  offers  of  parishes  with  ample  salaries  and  glebes  in  the  British  pos- 
sessions were  attractive.  Mr.  Andrews  although  he  loved  his  home  and 
birthplace  thought  the  needs  of  his  family  required  him  to  accept  one  of 
them.  He  removed  in  the  spring  of  1788  to  the  town  of  St.  Andrews  on  the 
St.  Croix  River.  From  his  house  he  could  look  across  to  the  shores  of 
Maine.     In   1791   he  purchased  the  island  of   Chamcook  in  the  St.  Croix 


—13— 

River,  where  he  built  for  himself  a  pleasant  home.  It  is  now  known  as 
Minster's  Island  and  has  been  greatly  improved  by  Sir  William  VanHorn, 
who  has  a  summer  home  on  it. 

The  parish  of  St.  Andrew's,  Charlotte  County,  New  Brunswick,  was  organ- 
ized August  2,  1786.  A  church  was  built  in  1788,  fifty-two  feet  in  length 
and  forty  in  width.  After  recovery  from  a  severe  paralytic  stroke  which 
unfitted  him  for  duty  for  some  months  he  was  the  busy  and  venerated 
pastor  of  a  devoted  flock  until  his  death  September  26,  1818,  in  the  eighty- 
second  year  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Andrews  married  September  13,  1764,  Hannah,  a  daughter  of  James 
and  Anna  (Wheeler)  Shelton  of  that  part  of  Stratford  now  Huntington. 
She  died  in  her  seventy-sixth  year,  January  1,  1816.  His  eldest  son,  Samuel 
James,  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College  in  1785,  a  shipping  merchant  in 
Derby,  Connecticut,  and  subsequently  a  pioneer  in  the  present  city  of 
Rochester,  where  he  attained  large  wealth  and  great  prominence.  A 
staunch  churchman  he  was  a  founder  of  St.  Luke's  Church  and  carried  the 
sound  Connecticut  churchmanship  into  western  New  York. 

Mr.  Andrews  published  several  sermons  which  in  style  and  matter  are 
superior  to  many  of  those  printed  by  his  contemporaries. 

Wallingford  May  l7'^  1785. 
My  dear  Sir, 

I  have  received  your  very  friendly  and  obliging  Letter  of 
the  27*^.  of  last  March  by  M^  Killbey — I  am  very  glad  to 
hear  of  your  Health,  and  that  you  are  settling  at  Cape  Breton, 
as  it  is  near  to  Milford  Haven  on  Chiclabucto,  where  the 
Company  I  represented  last  Summer  are  going  to  reside — 
Should  they  meet  with  Disappointments  with  Regard  to  that 
Place,  your  Patronage  would  probably  lead  them  to  Cape 
Breton,  could  they  obtain  a  Settlement  there. 

With  regard  to  myself,  I  think  it  probable  that  I  must  soon 
seek  other  Quarters,  as  well  thro'  a  want  of  Support,  as  a 
Wish  to  enjoy  Brittish  Government — should  this  Event  take 
place,  Nothing  could  be  more  agreeable  to  me  than  what  you 
Suggest  in  a  frollic  indeed,  concerning  a  Clergyman  in  your 
Settlement,  as  it  would  restore  me  to  the  Company,  and  place 
me  under  the  Protection  of  an  old  Friend  and  Classmate — • 
Should  you  desire  it,  you  will  doubtless  be  able  soon  to  pro- 
cure the  Clerical  Appointment  you  mention,  and  you  will 
Essentially  Oblige  me,  if  you  will  Correspond  with  me  upon 
the  Subject,  and  inform  me  what  Encouragements  are  to  be 


Expected  by  a  Clergyman  both  from  England  and  the  Settle- 
ment itself — is  the  Country  where  you  Settle  all  together  in 
its  Natural  State,  or  is  any  part  of  it  Cultivated  ?  will  it  pro- 
duce any  Grane  or  Grass  ?  in  a  Word  it  is  a  Land  which  will 
eat  up  its  inhabitants,  or  must  they  eat  that  for  want  of  other 
aliment  ?     Excuse  these  Freedoms,  and 

believe  me  to  be  dear  and  Respected  Sir 
your  antient  and  Sincere 

Friend  and  very  Humble 

Servant. 
Saw}.  Andrews. 
CoP.  John  Peters. 

WILLIAM  SAIIUEL  JOHNSON. 

William  Samuel,  the  eldest  son  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  and  Charity  (Floyd) 
Johnson,  was  born  at  Stratford,  Connecticut,  October  7,  1727.  His  father 
was  the  well-known  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Stratford,  justly  called  "the 
father  of  Episcopacy  in  Connecticut,"  missionary,  theologian,  educator.  He 
trained  the  boy  very  carefully  both  morally  and  mentally  and  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  sent  him  to  Yale  College,  where  he  attained  a  high  rank  and  gradu- 
ated in  1744  as  a  Dean  Berkeley  scholar.  Upon  leaving  College  his  father 
directed  his  further  studies.  He  served  for  some  years  as  lay  reader  in 
St.  Paul's  Church,  Ripton,  now  Huntington.  Determining  that  his  vocation 
was  not  the  ministry  Mr.  Johnson  turned  his  attention  to  the  law.  He  soon 
became  one  of  the  most  skilful  lawyers  in  the  colony  and  his  reputation 
went  beyond  its  borders.  He  served  in  the  General  Assembly  in  1761  and 
1765  and  was  a  member  of  the  Stamp  Act  Congress  which  met  in  New 
York  in  1765.  He  was  made  in  1766  a  member  of  the  Upper  House,  known 
also  as  the  Governor's  Council.  In  October,  1766,  he  was  chosen  by  the 
General  Assembly  as  the  special  agent  of  the  colony  at  the  British  Court  in 
the  famous  Mohegan  Case,  which  involved  the  legality  of  its  title  to  the  land 
held  by  the  remaining  members  of  the  Mohegan  tribe  of  Indians.  The 
matter  had  been  in  controversy  for  seventy  years  and  involved  some  very 
abstruse  and  knotty  legal  problems.  Dr.  Johnson,  during  his  agency, 
wrote  many  letters  to  the  Governor  of  Connecticut,  which  are  models  of 
good  English  and  lucid  statements  of  the  difficulties  encountered  by  him 
as  well  as  vivid  pictures  of  the  political  state  of  England.  The  final 
hearing  was  on  June  11,  1771,  and  the  decision  was  given  in  favor  of  the 
colony.  Dr.  Johnson  returned  home  in  the  fall  of  that  year  and  resumed 
his  seat  in  the  Council.  In  1772  he  was  appointed  a  Judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  Colony  but  served  only  a  few  months.  He  was  appointed  a 
delegate  to  the  Congress  of  1774  but  declined  on  account  of  professional 
engagements. 

He  lived  in  retirement  at  Stratford  during  the  Revolution  and  was 
unmolested,  although  opposed  to  a  war  with  England.     At  the  return  of 


—15— 

peace  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  from  1784  to  1787.  He  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
delegation  to  the  Constitutional  Convention  which  met  in  Philadelphia  in 
October,  1787.  In  that  brilliant  assemblage  of  statesmen  and  men  of  affairs, 
Dr.  Johnson  was  considered  as  the  ablest  lawyer  and  was  always  accorded 
a  respectful  hearing.  In  several  disputed  matters  his  voice  was  potent. 
It  is  largely  to  his  exposition  of  the  Connecticut  system  that  the  plan 
of  equal  representation  of  the  states  in  the  Senate  is  due. 

The  reorganization  of  King's  College,  New  York  City,  of  which  his  father 
was  the  honored  first  President,  took  final  shape  under  the  name  of  Colum- 
bia College  in  the  spring  of  1787  and  Dr.  Johnson  was  in  May  of  that 
year  elected  as  President.  Under  his  wise  administration  a  university  plan 
was  adopted  and  carried  out  as  far  as  circumstances  would  allow.  Dr. 
Johnson  was  again  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Assembly  from  1787  to 
1789  when  he  was  elected  the  first  Senator  from  Connecticut  to  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States,  his  colleague  being  Oliver  Ellsworth,  afterwards 
Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States. 

He  resigned  the  presidency  of  Columbia  College  in  July,  1800,  as  his 
health  was  seriously  impaired.  He  then  went  to  Stratford  where  he 
received  with  cordial  and  gracious  hospitality  m  his  spacious  mansion  his 
friends  and  all  who  sought  him  out.  He  was  consulted  by  many  and  his 
advice  was  both  sensible  and  sound. 

He  died  November  14,  1819,  in  his  ninety-third  year. 

Dr.  Johnson  married  November  5,  1749,  Anne,  a  daughter  of  William 
Beach  of  Stratford.  She  died  at  New  York,  April  24,  1796,  in  her  sixty- 
seventh  year.  He  married  December  11,  1800,  Mrs.  Mary  Beach  of  Kent, 
Connecticut.    She  died  in  April,  1827. 

New  York  Sepf.  22^  1788 

At  length  your  Son,  after  many  delays  is  embark'd  with 
Cap\  Woolsey  &  is  to  sail  tomorrow.     I  most  heartily  commend 

ing 
him  to  the  divine  Protection,  wish  him  a  safe  &  agreeable 
Passage,  &  that  you  &  he  may  soon  have  a  happy  meeting 
together.  The  Capt"^.  did  not  wish  me  to  pay  for  his  Passage, 
as  I  should  readily  have  done,  but  will  receive  it  of  you  at  his 
arrival  in  London.  He  goes  off  cheerfully,  but  while  he  has 
resided  with  me  here  at  the  College  he  seems  to  have  contracted 
some  affection  for  the  place,  &  to  wish  that  it  may  be  agreeable 
to  you  that  he  may  return  again  ere  long  &  receive  part  of  his 
Education,  at  least,  in  this  Country.  He  has  asked  me  very 
many  questions  upon  the  subject,  I  have  constantly  referred 
him  to  you,  assuring  him  that  he  may  rely  upon  it  that  you 


—16— 

will  certainly  do  what  is  best  for  him.  But  when  he  repeatedly 
pressed  me  for  my  Opinion,  I  could  not  avoid  telling  him,  as 
I  really  think,  that  if  he  is  to  spend  his  Days  here,  that  it  is 
best  he  sho'd  be  chiefly  Educated  here,  &  this  he  earnestly 
desires  me  to  mention  to  you,  which  I  accordingly  do  merely 
in  compliance  with  his  wishes,  knowing  very  well  at  the  same 
time,  that  you  need  none  of  my  suggestions  upon  the  subject. 

Eleven  States,  having  adopted  the  proposed  Constitution, 
our  Congress  have  now  published  their  Ordinance  directing  the 
necessary  steps  towards  the  Organization  of  the  new  Govern- 
ment, &  that  it  commence  its  Operations  in  this  City  on  the  first 
Wednesday  of  March  next — Very  many  are  extremely  sanguine 
in  their  Expectations  that  we  shall  derive  great  Blessings  from 
it,  while  many,  on  the  other  hand,  are  aiming  at,  &  expecting 
soon  to  obtain  great  alterations  &  emendations  of  the  plan — 
Both  sides  will  as  usual,  probably  be  in  some  measure,  disap- 
pointed, &  how  it  will  finally  operate  is  known  only  to  the 
allwise  disposer  of  all  Events. 

As  M'■^  Kneeland  is  not  now  with  me,  I  cannot  at  present 
pursue  the  directions  you  have  favour'd  me  with,  to  write  to 
the  Abp  on  her  affair.  It  must  therefore  be  deferr'd  to  another 
Opportunity,  but  indeed,  so  inattentive  are  they  grown  to  the 
calls  of  Justice,  that  it  seems  to  little  purpose  to  make  any 
application  to  them.     I  am  with  the  sincerest  wishes  for  your 

welfare 

Eev*^.  &  Dear  S^ 

Your  most  obedient 

humble  Servant 

W"".  Sam\  Johnson. 


Eev'' 

.  M^ 

Peters. 

Rev''. 

M" 

'.  Samuel  Peters 
Pimlico 

Westminster. 

Johnson  D^  W^.  S- 

- 

Sep*. 

22- 

-1788 

rec''. 

E'ov- 

-16— 

Ans"*.  ITov  17- 


—17— 

Kew  York  May  5'''  1791. 
Eev"*.  &  Dear  S^, 

The  Trustees  of  Columbia  College  are  delicate  with  respect 
to  granting  the  higher  Degrees,  &  conceive  that  many  Colleges 
both  in  Europe  &  America,  have  injured  their  own  Reputation, 
and  done  disservice  to  Literature,  by  the  facility  with  which 
they  have  conferr'd  them.  They  declined  granting  the  Degree 
of  M.D.  to  D^  Stearns, 

1^^.  Because  I  could  give  no  Information  with  respect  to  the 
Medical  Docf  who  signed  the  Certificate  transmitted  to  me,  & 
you  not  being  of  that  Profession,  your  signature  alone,  they 
considered,  would  not  be  a  ground  upon  which  they  could 
determine  that  he  had  Medical  Knowledge  sufficient  to  entitle 
him  to  that  Degree. 

2^^.  Two  of  the  Gentlemen  had  seen  a  Publication  (which  I 
had  not  heard  of,  nor  have  yet  seen)  by  the  D"".  of  a  Tour  to 
France,  of  which  they  had  conceived  a  very  indifferent  Opinion. 
3^^  One  of  the  Corporation,  himself  a  Phyfisian  of  Character, 
declared  that  he  had  known  D'.  Stearns  where  he  resided 
during  the  late  War  on  Long  Island,  &  that  neither  his  Knowl- 
edge in  that  Science,  nor  his  conduct  at  that  time,  did  in  his 
Judgment  by  any  means  qualify  him  for  that  Degree.  It  is 
highly  probable  that  these  Objections  might  have  been  obviated, 
but  I  had  no  Information  or  means,  not  being  aware  of  them, 
by  which  I  could  do  it  effectually. 

The  Georgian  &  Jacobite  Bishops  will  I  trust  amicably 
coalesce,  &  occasion  no  Discussion  or  Controversey  in  this 
Country. 

I  am  happy  to  hear  of  your  Son's  health,  &  that  he  is  to 
pursue  his  Studies  at  Oxford  or  Cambridge.     I  pray  God  he 
may  become  an  accomplished  Scholar,  &  a  good  Man,  &  am 
with  affectionate  Compliments  to  him. 
Rev^  &  D^  S^ 

Your  most  obedient 

&  most  humble  Servant 

W".  Sam\  Johnson. 
Rev"^.  D'.  Peters. 

The  Rev"*.  D^  Samuel  Peters, 

Grosvenor  Place 

London — 
-    Johnson  D"". 

May  5'''  1791 
re"^.  June  28— 


—18— 


WILLIAJVI  ABERNETHY  DRUMMOND. 

William  Abernethy  was  born  in  1719  or  1720  at  Saltoun,  Haddingtonshire, 
Scotland,  where  the  family  had  long  been  established.  He  studied  medicine 
at  the  University  of  Edinburgh  and  after  practicing  for  some  years  took  a 
theological  course,  was  ordained,  and  took  charge  of  a  Chapel  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  of  Scotland  in  Edinburgh.  He  was  consecrated  Bishop 
of  Brechin  at  Petershead  on  September  26,  1787.  He  was  soon  after  elected 
Bishop  of  Edinburgh.  His  Episcopate  was  remarkable  for  its  energy  and 
the  part  he  took  after  the  death  of  Charles  Edward  Stuart  in  causing  the 
removal  of  the  disabilities  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  Scotland.  He 
resigned  his  see  of  Edinburgh  in  1805  in  favor  of  Dr.  David  Sanford. 

He  died  at  his  seat,  Hawthornden,  August  27,  1809,  in  the  ninetieth  year 
of  his  age. 

Upon  his  marriage  with  Mary  Barbara,  the  widow  of  Robert  MacGregor, 
and  heiress  of  William  Drummond  of  Hawthornden,  he  took  the  name  of 
Drummond. 


Eev^  Sir 

Your  obliging  letter  of  the  5*^  came  safe  to  hand,  &  I 
take  this  opportunity  of  returning  my  hearty  thanks  for  your 
kind  communication  anent  our  friend  Bishop  Seabury.  The 
consecration  of  Madison  &  the  other  two  Bishops  refusing  to 
unite  with  him  in  the  promotion  of  M'.  Bass,  behoved  to  make 
him  uneasy;  but  I  trust  in  God,  that  these  gentlemen  will 
soon  open  their  eyes,  &  see  it  to  be  their  Duty  to  promote  the 
peace  of  their  Jerusalem,  by  a  happy  agreement  with  their 
worthy  Brother.  Indeed,  I  think  the  Archb^.  of  Cny's  answer 
cannot  fail  to  have  that  effect:  or  if  not,  they  must  be  blind 
beyond  the  possibility  of  seeing,  &  much  will  they  have  to 
answer  for  at  the  Great  Day  of  Accounts — The  Chancellor,  thro 
the  good  Bishop  of  St.  David's  means^  has  at  last  agreed  that 
a  bill  be  brought  into  Parliament  for  the  relief  of  the  Scotch 
Episcopal  Clergy,  &  I  expect  to  hear  immediately  after  the 
Easter  recess,  that  the  Lord  Advocate  has  apply'd  for  leave  to 
bring  One  in  accordingly.  I  give  you  joy  of  M^  Jarvis's 
success,  and  heartily  wish  you  &  all  your  friends  health  & 
with  the  blessing  of  the  approaching  high  Festival : 


—19— 

happiness      commending  you  &  them  to  the  Grace  &  protection 
of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  I  am 

K.  Sir 

your  affect.  Brother 
W™.  Abernethy  Drummond. 
Edn^  20'^  April  1791. 

The  Kev'^. 

Samuel  Peters  Grosvenor  Place 

near  London. 

April  20*^  1791 

rec^  23*^ 

Thurs. 
JOHN  TYLER. 

John,  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Doolittle)  Tyler,  was  born  in  Walling- 
ford,  August  15,  1742.  The  family  had  been  prominent  in  the  town,  as 
Eoger  Tyler,  its  ancestor,  had  been  one  of  the  original  proprietors  in  1638. 

As  a  young  man  Mr.  Tyler  conformed  to  the  Church  of  England.  He 
graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1765,  having  the  high  honour  of  delivering 
the  valedictory  oration.  He  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  at  King's 
College,  New  York  City,  now  Columbia  University.  This  procedure  was 
then  almost  unknown.  Its  president  was  the  witty  and  brilliant  Myles 
Cooper.  The  young  scholar  then  studied  theology  under  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Johnson  at  Stratford  and  became  lay-reader  in  Christ  Church.  Some  of 
the  congregation  were  in  favor  of  making  him  assistant  to  the  Rector, 
the  majority,  however,  thought  him  unfitted  for  such  a  prominent  position. 
He  was  recommended  by  Dr.  Johnson  to  the  churchmen  in  his  native  town, 
Guilford,  as  a  suitable  successor  to  Bela  Hubbard,  the  minister  who  had 
been  reader  in  Christ  Church  for  some  years  previous  to  his  ordination  in 
1764.  Mr.  Tyler  was  acceptable  and  permission  was  sought  for  him  "to  go 
home  for  orders."  H«  sailed  May  10,  1768,  bearing  with  him  a  petition  for 
the  erection  of  Guilford  into  a  mission  by  the  Venerable  Society.  He  was 
made  deacon  June  24,  and  ordained  priest  June  29,  1768,  by  Dr.  Richard 
Terrick,  Bishop  of  London.  The  request  of  Guilford  was  refused,  as  the 
Society  had  determined  to  erect  no  new  missions  in  New  England. 

Mr.  Tyler  was  appointed  to  Norwich,  from  which  John  Beardsley  had 
removed  to  Poughkeepsie,  New  York.  Mr.  Tyler  commenced  his  work  at 
Norwich,  November  1,  1768.  Without  the  brilliance  of  some  of  his  con- 
temporaries, there  was  a  sweet  earnestness  and  inflexible  purpose  in  all  he 
said  or  did.  He  had  a  most  musical  voice  and  in  his  intercourse  with  his 
parishioners  and  others  was  mild  and  benevolent.  His  knowledge  of  medi- 
cine was  freely  given  to  the  poor  and  gained  him  many  warm  friends. 
During  the  Revolution  although  threatened  by  the  Committee  of  Safety  and 
others  he  was  practically  unharmed.    Traditionally  his  well  was  poisoned  or 


—20— 

attempted  to  be.  The  Church  was  closed  from  1776  to  1778  but  the  Rector 
of  Norwich  continued  his  pastoral  work  and  held  some  informal  services 
in  houses  of  parishioners. 

He  fell  into  disfavor  with  some  of  his  brethren  because  of  the  report 
that  when  Jolm  Murray,  the  advocate  of  universal  salvation,  visited  Nor- 
wich in  1778  he  declared  his  acquiescence  in  his  views.  Such  startling 
reports  of  his  views  and  their  advocacy  by  him  in  sermon  and  conversation 
reached  the  clergy  in  other  parts  of  the  Diocese,  that  he  was  in  August, 
1786,  formally  cited  by  Bishop  Seabury  to  appear  before  the  Convocation 
of  the  Clergy  "at  the  house  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Richard  Mansfield,  on  the 
twentietli  day  of  September  next,  to  see  whether  mutual  explanations  may 
not  remove  that  oflFense  which  your  proceedings  at  Wallingford  and 
Norwich  have,  we  conceive  justly  given  to  them  and  myself."  He  could  not 
attend  at  Derby  but  was  summoned  to  meet  the  Bishop  with  Dr.  Abraham 
Jarvis  and  Dr.  Bela  Hubbard  at  New  London  in  October.  He  appears  to 
have  satisfied  them  that  he  had  not  transgressed  the  authorized  liberty  of 
opinion  on  a  matter  upon  which  there  was  no  formal  declaration. 

His  friendly  relations  with  the  Bishop  and  other  clergy  continued.  The 
sudden  death  of  the  first  great  Bishop  of  Connecticut  on  February  26,  1796, 
brought  to  Mr.  Tyler  the  sad  duty  of  officiating  at  his  funeral  on  Sunday, 
February  28,  and  burial  in  the  public  cemetery  at  New  London. 

Mr.  Tyler  continued  his  quiet,  effective  work  until  past  his  three-score 
and  ten  years.  His  young  friend  and  assistant,  the  Rev.  Seth  Birdseye 
Paddock,  the  father  of  two  Bishops,  in  his  declining  years  took  all  care  and 
anxiety  from  the  old  Rector.  Mr.  Tyler  died  January  20,  1823,  in  the 
eighty-first  year  of  his  age  and  the  fifty-fourth  of  his  ministry.  He  was 
the  last  survivor  of  the  Connecticut  clergy  ordained  in  England. 

Mr.  Tyler  married  May  6,  1770,  Hannah,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Eliza- 
beth (Bushnell)  Tracy  of  Norwich.  She  died  at  Norwich,  January  19,  1826, 
in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  her  age.  A  grandson,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alfred  Lee 
Brewer,  established  on  the  Pacific  coast  the  well-known  St.  Matthew's 
School,  first  located  at  San  Mateo,  California,  near  San  Francisco,  now 
at  Burlingame. 

Mr.  Tyler  published  several  sermons,  notably  that  at  the  opening  of 
Trinity  Church,  Pomfret,  in  1770,  and  one  adapted  from  Bishop  Seeker 
on  Peace.  Six  sermons  on  The  Law  and  the  Gospel,  attributed  to  him  by 
undoubted  evidence,  were  published  in  1798  and  1815,  anonymously.  They 
advocated  universal  salvation. 


ISTorwich  in  Connecticut  Jan^  9 :  1784. 
Kev^  Sir, 

I  received  your  kind  Letter  of  August  4,  1783,  by  M'. 
Chandler  Wattles ;  who  expected  to  return  to  Europe  in  about 
six  Weeks,  and  was  to  call  on  me  for  a  Letter:  but  contrary 
to  Expectation,  he  called  I  think,  the  very  next  Week,  in  Haste, 


—21— 

and  went  unluckily  I  had  no  Letter  written — I  should  have 
wrote  long  before,  had  I  known  where  to  direct:  but  now 
perhaps  I  may  write  again. 

I  have  taken  the  whole  Care  that  has  been  taken  of  Hebron 
Church  ever  since  you  left  it:  though  I  must  confess  that  I 
durst  not  go  there  for  some  Time  after  you  went  away;  so 
bitter  was  the  Spirit  of  some  People:  but  since,  I  have  been 
three  or  four  Sundays  there  every  year. — Your  Estate  is  not 
confiscated,  as  by  your  Letter  I  see  you  had  supposed:  and 
your  Friends  in  Hebron  since  the  !N^ews  of  Peace  expected  your 
Return ;  and  are  not  a  little  disappointed. — Strange  Alterations 
have  indeed  taken  Place  since  you  left  this  Country  We  are 
in  general  become  a  poor  People — the  Episcopalians  are  most 
impoverished :  but  all  groan  under  the  Burden  of  heavy 
Taxes. — And  I  need  not  tell  you  that  the  Missionaries  have 
suffer'd  much  most  every  Way,  in  Name,  Person,  and  Estate. 
I  have  been  obliged  to  sell  Bills  as  low  as  twenty  per  cent 
under  par,  when  I  actually  purchased  Wheat  at  three  Spanish 
Dollars  per  Bushel:  and  even  now,  the  Necessaries  of  Life 
are  on  an  Average,  one  quarter  dearer  than  they  were  when 
you  left  the  Country ;  though  Money  perhaps  was  never  scarcer 
than  at  present — New  York  was  very  full  of  money  when  the 
News  of  Peace  came:  but  the  Narrowness  of  our  Policy  drove 
from  thence  about  thirty  Thousand  Refugees,  and  with  them 
most  of  the  Money;  and  the  Remainder  is  gone  to  Europe 
for  Goods.  By  this  you  may  have  some  Idea  of  the  Present 
State  of  the  Country. 

As  to  the  Episcopal  Church  in  America,  it  has  Reason  to 
expect  an  Establishment;  nor  can  it  be  Prudence  for  her  to 
subject  herself  to  a  Presbyterian  Head :  this,  I  am  determined 
to  oppose  with  all  my  Might,  if  any  Proposal  of  this  Nature 
should  appear.  No:  the  episcopal  Church  in  America,  like 
primitive  Christianity,  must  be  a  Kingdom  of  its  own — a 
religious  Polity  distinct  from  the  civil.  And  if  she  can  enjoy 
equal  Toleration  or  Liberty  with  other  religious  Denominations 
in  general,  must  think  herself  upon  the  best  Footing  she  can 
expect.     T'would  be  absurd  to  the  last  Degree,  for  the  episcopal 


—22— 

Church  to  look  up  to  the  sons  of  Jack  Presbyter  in  the  civil 
Chair,  as  to  I^ursing  Fathers.  There  is  good  Reason  to  hope 
that  the  episcopal  Church  here  will  he  tolerated,  considering 
fcer  ISTumbers  on  this  Continent;  and  that  civil  Policy  has  so 
engrossed  the  Attention  of  x\nierica  in  general,  for  eight  or 
nine  Years  past,  that  Religion  has  very  little  thought  of;  and 
the  dissenting  Clergy,  by  preaching  little  else  but  Politics,  have 
lost  their  religious  Influence  past  Recovery:  and  the  leading 
People  are  now,  I  believe,  much  more  bigotted  to  Money,  than 
to  any  religious  Denomination.  But  what  fickle  Mortals  are 
a  People,  when  once  their  Polity  is  unsettled! — First  in  Pre- 
tence, horribly  afraid  of  Popery — then  full  of  Candour  towards 
it — at  last  rather  indifferent  to  all  Profession. — You  can  hardly 
imagine  how  the  People  here  are  altered. 

It  is  the  prevailing  Opinion  here,  that  the  Missionaries  now 
in  their  Missions,  will  have  their  Salaries  continued  to  them 
during  their  Lives;  though  we  doubt  much  of  having  the 
vacant  Missions  continued.  But  if  the  Salaries  of  the  present 
Missionaries  should  be  discontinued,  after  sacrificing  every 
temporal  Interest  to  their  Fidelity,  and  being  unfortunate  in 
the  Issue,  their  Fate  would  be  hard  indeed.  All  the  episcopal 
Clergymen  in  Connecticut,  have  been  uniform  and  persevering 
in  their  Fidelity,  and  have  thereby  kept  a  good  Conscience,  if 
no  more;  but  the  Consideration  of  having  one's  Virtues 
immortalized  in  historic  Page,  while  he  lives  in  Want  of  the 
very  N'ecessaries  of  Life,  and  must  die  in  Poverty,  is  but  a 
poor  Consolation.  I  much  Question  whether  Hannibal,  who 
after  the  Destruction  of  Carthage,  was  hunted  from  N'ation  to 
Nation,  struggling  with  the  Hardships  of  Poverty  and  Con- 
tempt, was  much  comforted  by  the  Prospect  of  having  his 
military  Skill  recorded  in  History.  I  know  it  is  not  uncom- 
mon for  the  World  to  neglect  and  despise  the  Unfortunate 
while  alive,  howsoever  virtuous  they  are;  and  then  to  speak 
mighty  well  of  them  when  they  are  dead  and  gone,  and  can 
receive  no  Benefit  from  it.  So  the  Jews  killed  the  Prophets, 
and  their  Sons  built  their  Sepulchres,  and  decorated  them  with 
many  ornaments. 


—23— 

The  false  Papers,  you  say,  we  signed  versus  you,  I  believe 
you  must  be  under  a  Mistake  concerning  them,  if  my  Memory 
serves  me.  I  never  saw  them  but  once,  and  that  was  about 
five  months  after  they  were  signed.  Either  you  must  have  been 
imposed  on  by  a  Forgery,  or  have  drawn  very  remote  Con- 
sequences. After  you  left  the  Country  our  Clergy  were  con- 
tinually threatened,  and  endured  many  Violences ;  and  at  a 
Session  of  the  Assembly  of  Connecticut  at  'Hew  Haven,  several 
of  the  Members  told  Parson  Hubbard,  that  the  general  Opinion 
was,  that  our  Clergy  were  in  a  Combination  or  Conspiracy  with 
Mr.  Peters,  to  rob  the  Country  of  their  Liberties;  which 
Combination  Hubbard  denied.  Those  Members  then  advised 
Hubbard  to  call  in  some  of  the  neighboring  Clergy,  to  sign 
a  Denial  of  any  such  Conspiracy;  and  then  the  Members  of 
the  Assembly  would  use  their  Influence  to  pacify  the  People 
to  desist  from  Violences  towards  the  Clergy.  Accordingly 
Hubbard  called  in  several  of  the  Clergy ;  who,  in  the  Presence 
of  many  Members  of  the  Assembly,  at  Hubbard's  House,  signed 
Papers  the  whole  Substance  of  which  was,  that  we,  the  episcopal 
Clergy  of  Connecticut,  are  in  no  Conspiracy  with  the  Rev**. 
M':  Peters  against  the  Liberties  of  the  Country.  This  was, 
to  the  best  of  my  Remembrances,  all  that  those  Papers  said 
concerning  you,  and  as  near  as  I  can  remember,  in  those  very 
Words.  I  was  not  present;  nor  did  I  hear  so  much  as  a 
Word  of  it  for  near  Six  Months. — I  saw  your  Letter  to  Doctor 
Inglis  respecting  this  Matter,  and  from  that  strongly  suspected 
that  a  very  fallacious  or  forged  Account  of  this  Matter  has 
been  made  use  of  against  you.  But  if  those  Papers  really  did 
contain  any  thing  more  than  I  have  said,  it  is  my  Mistake. 

As  to  the  Petition  that  Doctor  Seabury  may  be  made  our 
Bishop;  at  the  IsTews  of  Peace,  the  Clergy  suddenly  met 
together,  without  notifying  either  Fogg  or  me,  and  did  as  you 
have  heard;  and  no  Doubt  as  they  thought  for  the  best;  and 
I  believe,  without  the  least  Idea  of  the  Clergy  of  iN'ew  York, 
or  any  other  Place,  having  any  party  or  personal  Views  to  the 
Prejudice  of  the  Connecticut  Clergy ;  for  you  know,  those  who 
mean  no  evil,  are  apt  to  suspect  none. 


As  to  our  Convention  signing  Petitions  by  our  Secretary,  I 
have  several  times  objected  against  it,  because  we  are  not  a 
Body  corporate  in  Law:  but  it  has  been  answered  that  this 
is  common  to  voluntary  Associations;  and  that  thus  we  have 
often  done,  when  we  have  wrote  to  the  Society,  without  any 
Appearance  of  their  Disapprobation,  and  that  the  Society  under- 
stand us :  and  I  have  replied,  that  there  may  be  Occasion  for 
showing  our  Petitions  to  Persons  not  acquainted  with  our  Cus- 
ton  of  Subscribing,  who  may  ask,  how  came  these  Clergymen 
to  be  a  Corporation  and  the  Explanation  cannot  be  much  to 
our  Advantage,  vis.  that  as  Children  ape  the  Adult,  so  we  ape 
Bodies  corporate. — I  was  not  present  when  the  Clergy  petitioned 
for  Jarvis,  &c.  to  be  made  Missionaries. — I  am  not  willing  to 
petition  our  sovereign  States  to  permit  the  Residence  of  Bishops 
here;  because  I  think  we  have  the  same  Right  to  Bishops  as 
to  Presbyters;  and  to  ask  Permission  to  enjoy  our  religious 
Liberties  or  Privileges,  before  we  are  forbid,  looks  too  much 
like  an  Acknowledgment  of  our  Subjection  as  a  Church,  to  the 
Control  of  those  civil  Rulers  who  profess  a  different  Religion : 
and  if  we  seem  to  acknowledge,  that  presbyterian  civil  Rulers 
have  a  Right  to  say,  whether  the  episcopalians  shall  have  Bis- 
hops or  not;  can  it  be  supposed  that  those  Rulers  will  think 
that  we  need  Bishops?  But  if  we  procure  Bishops,  the  civil 
Rulers  here,  cannot  refuse  their  Residence,  without  a  manifest 
Violation  of  religious  Liberty;  which  would  injure  their 
Reputation  in  the  Eyes  of  all  Europe;  and  would  divest  them 
of  all  Pretence  of  patronizing  religious  Liberty,  which  is  a 
Character  they  much  affect,  since  the  Alliance  with  France. 
So  that  the  best  way  for  the  Episcopalians  to  preserve  their 
religious  Privileges,  is,  I  think,  to  use  them  freely,  without 
appearing  to  fear  any  Control. — ^But  after  all,  I  am  of  Opinion, 
that  we  shall  not  obtain  a  Bishop  in  Connecticut  at  present; 
but  that  there  will  be  a  Bishop  sent  out  to  l!^ova-scotia  first. 

You  seem  determined  not  to  see  this  Country  again. — I  know 
you  was  ever  fond  of  a  City  Life:  but  possibly  when  you 
come  to  know  the  State  of  your  Affairs  here,  which  you  will 


—25— 

learn  by  the  Letters  from  your  Friends  at  Hebron,  you  may 
alter  your  Mind ;  at  least  so  far  as  to  make  us  a  Visit — I  should 
be  sorry  to  see  you  no  more. — You  have  some  Inducements  to 
come  again,  if  not  to  tarry. — You  have  an  Estate  at  Hebron 
worth  looking  after;  and  a  Son  at  Stratford,  who  I  believe  is 
in  good  Health. — and  whom  you  must  wish  to  see,  and  his  grand 
Parents  will  not  be  willing  to  part  with  for  Life. — I  should 
suppose  you  were  by  this  Time  weary  of  the  Hurry  and  Noise 
of  a  City;  though  in  a  good  Degree  compensated  by  many 
Things  that  are  agreeable.  To  this  Country,  I  know  you  have 
now  two  capital  Objections,  which  I  need  not  name. — I  will 
be  much  obliged  to  you  for  a  Letter  as  soon  as  may  be  after 
you  receive  this.  But  first  I  wish  you  to  obtain  the  Perusal 
of  my  Letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Society,  which  is  of  the 
same  Date  with  this  to  you;  and  which  contains  Something 
that  very  nearly  concerns  me ;  and  if  you  can  be  of  any  Ser- 
vice to  me  in  the  Matter,  and  will  befriend  me,  you  will  not 
doubt  my  receiving  it  very  kindly  of  you.  And  then  I  wish 
you  to  write  me,  by  the  first  Opportunity,  what  Reception  my 
Letter  meets  with,  or  is  likely  to  meet  with.  To  give  you  any 
tolerable  Idea  of  the  Matter  in  this  Letter,  would  render  it  by 
far  too  long.  What  you  will  think  of  the  Matter,  I  cannot 
conjecture ;   but  I  think  you  cannot  doubt  my  Sincerity. 

Our  old  Friend  M'.  Griste  is  gone  to  Rest — old  Mrs.  Lan- 
caster also — Mess'"^  Holden,  Lancaster,  Bushnells,  Cook,  Lef- 
fingwell  &c.  much  as  usual,  except  what  it  common  to  us  all 
here  become  poorer,  and  low  spirited. — Many  of  my  Parish- 
ioners have  moved  away,  within  the  four  last  years,  several  are 
dead,  and  several  new  ones  have  conformed. — M".  Tyler  joins 
me  in  respectful  Compliments  to  you  and  your  Daughter. — 

I  remain  your  Friend  and  Brother, 

John  Tyler. 

The  Rev^.  Samuel  Peters,) 

) 
Pimlico,  London.         ) 

Rec*.  May  14th,  1784. 


—26— 

E^orwich  in  Connecticut  December  2,  1784 
Rev''.  Sir: 

I  take  this  Opportunity  of  writing  to  you,  by  Cp*.  Gurdon 
Bill,  a  ISTon-con.  who  is  about  to  sail  from  ISTorwich  Landing 
for  London.  I  have  heard  of  several  Letters  from  you  since 
last  Winter,  but  have  seen  none.  I  heard  that  in  one  to  Doctor 
Sutton,  of  the  1^\  of  March  last,  you  proposed  to  go  to  France, 
and  should  not  correspond  with  America  for  some  years. 
Again,  I  heard  of  Letters  from  you  to  M"".  Birdsey  of  Stratford : 
and  this  Fall  past,  I  heard  of  Letters  received  in  Hebron  from 
you,  in  which  you  mentioned  the  Receipt  of  Letters  from  some 
one  in  Hartford,  and  from  Doctor  Bliss  in  Hebron,  who  were 
of  Opinion  that  you  could  not  return  in  Safety,  perhaps  they 
did  not  wish  to  encourage  your  Return.  However,  the  vindic- 
tive Spirit  of  the  Country  is  almost  totally  altered  in  the  Space 
of  one  Year  past :  and  though,  if  you  had  returned  last  Spring, 
some  few  Curs  might  have  growled  a  little,  and  I  am  confident 
that  would  have  been  all  yet  now  I  can  assure  you,  that  the 
fierce  Spirit  of  Whigism  is  dead:  and  it  is  the  general  Sense 
of  the  People  of  Connecticut,  Rulers  and  all,  that  the  old  Spirit 
of  Bitterness  is  now  the  worst  of  Policy.  ISTot  one  word  of 
Whig  and  Tory  appears  now  in  the  I^ews-papers ;  and  even  the 
fiery  Darts  at  General  Arnold,  which  lasted  longest,  are  now 
totally  out  of  Fashion.  Those  heretofore  call'd  Tories,  and  who 
were  treated  with  the  greatest  Bitterness,  are  now  in  as  good 
Reputation  as  any.  Doctor  Johnson  is  chosen  a  Member  of 
Congress — M^  Semour  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Hartford, — and 
Cp\  ]^athaniel  Backus,  who  was  much  harrassed  in  the  War, 
for  being  a  bold  Friend  of  Great-Britain,  is  now  the  Second 
Alderman  of  our  City  of  I^orwich.  And  if  you  should  incline 
to  return,  I  am  sure  that  not  one  Dog  would  move  his  Tongue 
against  you.  And  you  would  be  much  more  at  Peace  here,  than 
you  was  even  seven  years  before  the  War. — Our  Friend  Ebe- 
nezer  Punderson,  is  returned  to  Pamutanoc  with  his  Family, 
and  our  general  Assembly  have  returned  to  him  all  his  Estate ; 
and  he  is  well  received, — and  not  a  Mouth  opened  against  him. 


—27— 

In  my  Letter  to  you  of  the  9th  of  Jan'',  last,  which  I  con- 
clude you  must  have  received,  I  mentioned  a  Letter  of  mine  to 
the  Society  of  the  same  Date ;  but  I  did  not  send  it  forward 
'till  the  20th  of  last  April ;  and  suppose  you  have  seen  it.  But 
I  have  not  heard  any  Thing  from  the  Society  in  Consequence 
of  it :  and  I  wish  you  to  write  me  by  Cp\  Bill,  or  sooner  than 
his  Return  if  you  have  an  Opportunity,  and  inform  me  all 
you  know  of  the  Matter,  that  is,  what  Reception  my  Letter  has 
met  with.  What  you  think  of  my  Opinion,  respecting  the 
final  Salvation  of  all  Men,  I  know  not:  but  if  you  can  render 
me  any  Services,  with  Doctor  Morrice,  and  will  be  kind  enough 
to  use  what  Influence  you  have,  that  I  may  not  be  cut  oif  from 

merit 
the   Society's   Eavor,   you  will  my  sincerest  Thanks.      After 
what  I  have  said  of  my  Opinion,  in  my  Letter  to  Doctor  Mor- 
rice, of  the  20th.  of  April  last,  which  I  suppose  you  must  have 

it 
seen,  will  be  to  no  Purpose  for  me  to  attempt  in  this  Letter, 
to  explain  to  you  the  Reasons  of  my  Opinion. 

I  have  not  heard  how  Doctor  Seabury  proceeds ;  but  expect 
to  hear  soon. — The  Motion  of  the  Philadelphia-episcopal  Clergy, 
with  their  Lay-Delegates,  respecting  the  founding  of  our  Amer- 
ican-Episcopal Church,  you  have,  or  will  no  doubt  hear  by 
other  Hands.  But  our  Connecticut  Clergy  look  totally  askew 
at  their  lay-Delegates,  and  will  never  I  believe,  admit  those 
Tobacco-cutters  with  them.  The  Pennsilvania,  l!^ew-Jersey, 
and  N'ew-York  Clergy  met  lately  at  l^ew-York;  and  the  Con- 
necticut Clergy  sent  a  Letter,  and  a  Representative,  to  put  off 
Matters,  'till  we  have  a  Bishop ;  pleading  that  we  cannot  act 
in  founding  a  Church,  'till  we  have  a  Bishop,  and  so  are 
organized,  as  a  Church. 

Our  old  Friend  Cp\  Bushnell  is  dead — and  our  good  Friend 
M"^.  Brimmer  died  in  Boston  last  Summer — My  Family  has  been 
considerably  visited  with  Sickness,  at  Times,  for  more  than  a 
Year:  and  I  have  lost  my  oldest  Son  by  Death  the  Summer 
past,  who  was  between  eleven  and  twelve  years  of  Age:  which 
was  a  grievous  Stroak  to  me,  and  the  Recollection  is  yet  very 


—28— 

painful ;  and  my  Spirits  are  low. — I  hear  that  M'.  Man's  Son 
is  return'd  from  you  to  Hebron ;  but  have  not  seen  him ;  and 
have  heard  very  little  of  the  Accounts  he  brings. 

M".  Tyler  joins  me  in  her  Compliments  and  kind  Regards 
to  you  and  Daughter. 

Sir,  I  remain  you  sincere  Friend  and  Brother, 

John  Tyler. 
The  Eev"^.  Samuel  Peters) 

) 
Pimlico,  Charlotte  Street ) 

) 
N"  1,  London.  ) 

Tyler  Eev'^: 

Dec^  20,  1784 
Rec^  FeV.  10,  -85 
Ans^  April  1,  -85 

By  Cap\  Bill. 

DOCTOK  BLISS  OF  HEBRON. 

Dr.  Neziah  Bliss  of  Hebron  was  a  son  of  Rev.  John  Bliss  of  Hebron 
(first  settled  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church,  afterwards  conformed 
to  Church  of  England,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  St.  Peter's  Church, 
Hebron),  born  March  21,  1737,  graduated  Yale  1760,  one  of  the  most 
eminent  citizens  of  Hebron,  served  fourteen  terms  in  the  Legislature  prior 
to  the  Revolution.  "To  him  the  American  People  owe  more  than  sug- 
gestion of  their  common  school  system;  he  was  its  founder  in  the  state 
of  Connecticut  where  it  was  first  adopted,  and  where  he  procured  such 
Legislation  in  its  aid  as  nursed  it  through  its  incipient  stages  and  gave 
it  vigor  for  the  almost  sublime  descent  it  has  accomplished."  (Bliss 
genealogy.) 

He  died  August  31,  1787. 

JOHN  AND  NATHANIEL  MANN. 

Rev.  Samuel  Peters  wrote  from  London,  October  24,  1786,  to  "John  and 
Nathaniel  Mann  of  Hebron."  "I  have  appointed  you  John  Mann  and  your 
son  Nathaniel  jointly  and  severally  to  be  my  attorney  and  attorneys,  not 
believing  that  the  state  of  Connecticut  is  now  graced  with  two  other  men 
of  equal  virtue  and  honor." 

John  Mann  married  Margaret  Peters,  a  sister  of  Rev.  Samuel  Peters.  Dr. 
Nathaniel,  his  son,  nephew  of  Rev.  S.  Peters,  graduated  at  Dartmouth, 
completed  his  education   in   England   as  physician  and  surgeon.     Was   in 


liELA    inr.I'.ARI) 


—29— 

business  as   druggist  and  physician   in  Hebron  for   a   time,  finally  going 
to  Georgia,  where  he  died. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Mann  writes  to  Col.  John  Peters  at  Quebec,  September  21, 
1783,  "Your  father  and  Dr.  Sutton  and  my  brother  Andrew  are  become 
Deists  and  most  of  the  Church  are  Universalists,  alias  Murrianites." 


BELA  HUBBARD. 

Bela,  a  son  of  Lieutenant  Daniel  and  Dianna  (Ward)  Hubbard,  was 
born  in  Guilford,  Connecticut,  August  27,  1739.  His  father  died  when 
he  was  only  twelve  years  old.  His  mother  married  for  her  second  husband, 
Captain  Nathaniel  Johnson  of  Guilford,  a  j'ounger  brother  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  of  Stratford. 

The  boy  was  well  brought  up  and  thoroughly  taught  in  the  subjects 
which  would  fit  him  for  College  and  graduated  from  Yale  in  1758. 

He  was  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Johnson  during  his  course  in  theology 
in  New  York  City,  as  the  Doctor  was  then  President  of  King's  College. 
After  a  year  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Guilford  and  became  lay  reader 
in  Christ  Church.  He  sailed  for  England  in  November,  1763,  in  company 
with  his  dear  friend,  Abraham  Jarvis,  and  William  Walter  of  Boston. 
They  were  most  courteously  received,  but  the  petition  of  Guilford  to  be 
made  a  mission  and  placed  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Hubbard  was  refused 
by  the  Venerable  Societj'.  The  story  has  long  been  current  and  rests 
upon  well-authenticated  tradition,  that  when  with  his  fellow  candidates 
he  paid  his  respects,  according  to  custom,  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, and  was  introduced,  his  Grace  in  perplexity  repeated  his  name: 
"Bela,  Bela,  I  never  heard  of  that  name."  "Very  likely  not,  your  Grace," 
said  the  young  man,    "it  is  in  the  Bible." 

Mr.  Hubbard,  with  his  companions,  was  made  deacon  in  St.  James's 
Church,  Piccadilly,  London,  February  5,  1764,  by  Bishop  Keppel  of  Exeter. 
They  were  ordained  priests  by  Bishop  Lyttleton  of  Carlisle,  February  19, 
of  the  same  year.  He  returned  to  take  charge  of  Christ  Church,  Guilford, 
and  St.  John's,  North  Guilford,  where  for  three  years  he  labored  incessantly 
and  extended  his  ministrations  to  the  neighboring  town  of  Killingworth, 
now  Madison. 

It  was  with  very  real  grief  that  the  people  of  Guilford  learned  in  the 
summer  of  1767  that  Mr.  Hubbard  had  accepted  an  appointment  from 
the  Venerable  Society  to  New  Haven  and  West  Haven.  Under  the  new 
missionary.  Trinity  Church  grew  rapidly  and  Christ  Church  increased  its 
strength.  Mr.  Hubbard  was  a  man  who  combined  great  patience  and 
capacity  for  work  with  a  very  high  ideal  of  duty.  Simple  and  guileless  in 
his  manners,  without  the  gift  of  eloquence,  his  teaching  was  plain,  direct 
and  based  upon  the  true  conception  of  the  Church  of  God.  His  goodness 
and  sincerity  attracted  and  attached  every  one  to  him. 

His  attitude  during  the  Revolution  was  most  admirable,  for  while  he  was 
firmly  attached  to  the  Crown  he  did  not  allow  himself  to  be  drawn  into 
controversy. 


—30— 

Trinity  Church  was  closed  until  1778  but  the  minister  continued  his 
round  of  visits  and  consolation  to  the  sick  and  afflicted.  He  was  one  of 
those  who  determined  that  the  Church  in  Connecticut  should  have  an 
Episcopal  head  before  any  change  in  the  English  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
should  be  made  or  any  united  effort  made  for  an  independent  branch  of 
Christ's  Holy  Church.  As  New  Haven  grew  the  Church  grew  and  Dr.  Hub- 
bard won  more  and  more  the  good  will  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men. 
Under  his  supervision  the  negotiations  for  a  new  Church  building  on  the 
Green  were  conducted. 

In  1811  his  failing  health  made  an  assistant  minister  necessary  and  the 
saintly  Henry  Whitlock  of  Norwalk  was  chosen  in  June  of  that  year. 

Dr.  Hubbard  survived  in  great  weakness  of  body  until  he  departed  this 
life,  December  6,  1812,  in  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age  and  the 
forty-eighth  of  his  ministry.  His  old  friend  and  companion.  Bishop  Jarvis, 
lived  only  four  months  longer,  for  he  died  on  May  3,  1813. 

Dr.  Hubbard  married  in  Fairfield,  Connecticut,  May  15,  1768,  Grace 
Dunbar  Hill  of  Antigua,  West  Indies.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Thaddeus 
and  Elizabeth  (Isaacs)  Hill.  She  died  in  Farmington,  Connecticut,  April 
27,  1820,  in  the  seventy-third  year  of  her  age. 

One  of  their  sons,  Thomas,  became  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  Syracuse, 
New  York,  as  a  man  of  public  spirit  and  Judge.  Another,  Bela,  was  for 
many  years  active  in  business  life  in  Detroit,  Michigan,  and  a  strong  and 
liberal  supporter  of  St.  Paul's  Church. 


N"ew  Haven  January  2V\  1784. 
My  very  dear  friend : 

'tis  a  very  long  time  since,  I  have  been  blessed  with  your 
very  agreeable  society  &  converse,  and  the  late  destracted  times 
prevented  me  writing  you — ^but  you  have  not  forgotten  me,  with 
pride  &  satisfaction  I  received  your  letter  written  soon  after 
the  peace,  the  Spirit  of  which  did  you  honor  &  gave  pleasure 
to  me  &  your  friends,  you  appear  to  have  had  a  perfect  knowl- 
edge of  our  political  Situation,  Law  providence  will  determine 
in  the  final  issue,  our  Eclesiastical ;  time  will  show,  but  certain 
it  is  that  the  Church  in  America  is  more  respected  than  I 
expected. 

The  General  Assembly  now  setting  in  this  town  seem  dis- 
posed to  give  full  scope  to  the  toleration  of  all  religious  parties, 
and  have  in  this  Session  passed  some  acts,  that  give  equal 
countenance  to  each  religious  denomination,  which  will  help  the 
Church  in  particular,  and  was  a  bishop  to  come  into  this  govern- 


—31— 

ment,  it  is  my  real  opinion,  that  every  thing  would  be  made 
easy  to  him  on  the  part  of  government  provided  th'  v^as  no 
formal  application  made  to  them  on  that  score. 

Your  Estate  hath  never  been,  nor  will  it  he  confiscated, 
although  I  believe  the  Assembly  have  availed  themselves  of  the 
interest  of  it — your  aged  mother  was  alive  as  young  Jones  told 
me  at  Christmass  &  sent  a  letter  to  be  forwarded  to  you  via  IsT 
York — your  son  I  saw  lately  at  M'.  Birdseys,  he  with  D''. 
Johnson  &  myself  concluded  on  the  whole  that  your  son  had 
better  tarry  for  a  season  here,  good  care  will  be  taken  of  him. 

All  old  things  are  done  away,  but  your  brethren  in  their 

conduct  in  consequence  of  your  going  away  hath  been  altogether 

misrepresented  to  you,  I  shall  God  willing  soon  convince  you 

'  by  original  papers  that  your  brethren  have  in  no  instance  acted 

an  unfriendly  part  with  you. 

A  young  gentleman  I  much  esteem  calls  on  me  going  to 
morrow    from    this    port    to    London    which    determined    me 

educated  in  y:  College 
to  write  you — the  gentleman  is  M""  Jeremiah  Townsend  he 
is  in  y  marcantile  line  connected  with  M'  Jeremiah  Atwater 
a  good  man  uniformily,  he  goes  I  suppose  to  form  some 
connections  in  trade,  is  industrious,  sensible,  &  of  strict  honor, 
any  civilities  shown  to  him  by  you  I  shall  consider  as  an  honor 
done  me  and  shall  not  be  forgotten  by  me — by  him  I  send  you 
D'"  Styles  Election  Sermon — I  leave  you  to  make  your  own 
remarks  upon  it — I  have  another  favor  to  ask  &  I  conjure  you 
by  the  love  I  bare  you,  that  you  grant  it  me,  which  is  to  give 
yourself  the  trouble  to  enquire  out  a  proper  person  in  London 
to  furnish  us  a  neat  good  well  toned  Organ  with  a  decent  case 
for  about  100*^  Guinea's,  we  have  now  a  subscription  filling  up 
for  the  purpose  and  shall  probably  in  the  Spring  forward  the 
money — you  know  my  Church  is  small,  but  if  we  succeed  as  I 
think  we  shall  in  filling  up  our  subscription  I  shall  write  you 
more  particularly  about  the  matter. 

I  had  written  so  far  &  your  favor  of  October  20*^  1783  was 
handed  to  me,  I  shall  communicate  the  contents  to  my  brethren, 
and  am  obliged  to  you  for  your  good  advice  respecting  the 


—32— 

Interest  of  the  poor  Church  in  this  part  of  the  World — we  hope 
not  to  fall  under  the  leather  mitten  &  be  darned  up  in  Utica 
but  yet  to  stand  on  good  ground  &  have  a  bishop  among  our- 
selves who  are  now  y^  largest  body  of  Episcopal  Clergy  in  any 
one  Gov*,  in  America — what  you  say  about  the  points  N  York, 
whose  influence,  had  ruined  y^  clergy  of  Connecticut.  If  M'. 
Leaming,  Jarvis,  Andrews  &  Scovil  &  myself  c*^.  have  prevailed 
at  the  convention  &  what  follows  is  all  a  riddle  to  me  wish  you 
to  explain  it  to  me,  by  the  return  of  the  bearer  of  this,  and  I 
conjure  you  to  tell  me  how  you  live,  what  are  your  hopes,  this 
side  Jord'on,  we  shall  no  doubt  find  better  on  the  other 

side  of  it,  pray  how  does  your  dear  girl  Miss  Hannah  who  we 
are  told  is  much  accomplished,  speaks  and  writes  French  well 
&c.  &c.  M''^  Hubbard  the  mother  of  six  children  &  who  hath 
borne  8  desires  not  to  be  forgotten  by  you  &  your  dear  girl, 
she  hath  a  woman's  anxieties  to  know  whether  or  no  Miss 
Hannah  is  married  &  whether  the  Kev*^.  Pimlico  parson  is  a 
single  or  a  married  man — tell  me  in  your  next  all  these  things 
&  add  many  like  words  of  things  for  our  mutual  curiosity — 
you  mention  M".  Cargil  please  to  make  our  kind  love  to  her  & 
husband  &  if  she  wishes  to  know  the  present  State  of  New 
Haven  M'^  Townsend  the  bearer  can  fully  gratify  her — you  men- 
tion still  a  desire  that  M"".  Birdseye  would  send  you  your  son 
I  shall  see  him  probably  very  soon  and  I  will  communicate  to 
him  what  you  say  on  the  Subject,  but  as  I  observed  before  D^ 
Johnson  thinks  it  would  be  better  for  you  with  respect  to  your 
Estate  in  Hebron  for  him  to  reside  here  at  least  for  the  present, 
he  is  truly  a  very  fine  child,  he  looks  much  like  a  cherry  cheek'd 
lad  by  the  JSTame  of  S  P —  whom  I  knew  in  Y  College  some 
20  years  since,  I  have  kissed  Grace  on  your  account  &  my  own, 
&  she  most  cordially  saluteth  you,  as  does  the  worthy  M'' 
Leaming  our  good  brother  who  happens  to  be  here — the  spirit 
of  the  people  oppressed  with  the  burden  of  taxes,  grows  daily 
more  &  more  mild,  hope  in  a  year  or  two  you  will  come  among 
us  &  make  your  abode  with  us,  we  are  undoubtedly,  we  allways 
were,  &  always  shall  be  undoubtedly  the  best,  the  worthyest  the 
best  natured  loving  &  amiable  Clergy  in  the  World — it  would 


—33— 

now  give  your  heart  the  utmost  joy  to  be  with  us  in  one  of  our 
Conventions,  you  shall  yet  be  blessed  no  doubt  with  our  good 
Company,  &  Society,  but  if  Heaven  sho"^.  determine  otherwise, 
hope  we  shall  all  meet  in  Heaven,  whose  King  is  Just,  &  among 
whose  subjects,  mercy.  Justice,  peace  &  love  forever  reign  may 
we  meet  there  never  more  to  part  is  y®  wish  &  prayer  of  my 
very  dear  brother,  your's  aifectionately, 

Bela  Hubbard. 
Assembled  cordially  in  Convention  at  Wallingford  at  the  house 
of    the    Rev"^.     Peter    Lizzard    the    Rector    of    Rectors    the 

last  week 
Rev*^.  Messrs  Leaming,  Scovil,  Jarvis,  Clarke  Hubbard — 
Scovil  Andrews  will  probably  go  in  the  Spring  to  view  the 
ISTova  Scotia  world  as  agents  for  a  company  going  thither — 
Scovil  hath  8  children  Andrews  5  I  have  six  how  they  are  to 
be  provided  for  God  knows,  we  are  all  confounded  poor  tho' 
rich  in  good  works  &  in  love  to  one  another.  Clarke  remains 
at  'New  Milford  poor,  Marshall  still  at  Woodbury,  but  thinks 
of  Milford — Old  Milford  which  place  is  destitute  of  ministers 
of  all  denominations  many  of  y®  dissenting  parishes  are  vacant, 
&  likely  to  continue  so,  their  Ministers  out  preached  themselves 
&  have  very  much  lost  their  influence  with  their  people,  Viets 
Roger,  Dibblee,  Tyler,  Fogg,  I^ichols,  IsTewton,  Mansfield  & 
Bostwick  are  all  still  above  ground.  Father  Beach  Dead — his 
parish  vacant,  as  is  Stratford,  Fairfield,  JSTorwalk,  l!^  London, 
Hebron  &c.  My  people  are  civil  to  me  &  my  church  gains 
ground  daily. 

Once  more  God  bless  you  faith. 

Bela  your  friend. 
Rev^  S\  Peters. 


ISTew  Haven  March  19,  1784. 
Dear  Sir: 

One  good  arises  from  the  general  evil  that  is  brought  on  by 
the  seperation  of  the  countries, — a  door  is  opened  for  a  freer 
intercourse  with   ones   friends,   I   acknowledge  with  pride   & 


—34— 

pleasure  that  I  have  received  two  letters  which  I  have  read  to 
hundreds  of  your  friends,  to  my  and  their  edification,  in  your 
last  you  have  been  good  enough  to  mark  out  a  plan  for  the 
Connecticut  episcopate  corresponding  in  the  general  with  the 
sentiments  of  your  brethren  in  these  goings  down  of  the  sun,  but 
the  grand  difficulty  appears  to  lie  in  your  dim  climes  of  light, — 
the  spirit  of  our  New  england  puritan  brethren  are  mightily 
cooled  &  cooling,  poverty  who  can  stand  before,  it  hath  produced 
great  alterations  feeling  its  pains  they  are  now  projecting 
plans  to  recal  their  banished  brethren  from  Nova  Scotia,  the 
strife  and  contention  is  between  the  City  of  N  Haven  &  the 
City  of  N  London  for  you  must  know  that  both  these  places 
have  obtained  charters  from  the  general  Assembly  of  Connect- 
icut last  January  and  are  Incorporated  City's.  New  Haven  y^ 
first  with  liberal  privileges  I  expect  M"^.  Elias  Shipman  com- 
mon-counselman  of  the  City  of  N  Haven  &  Cap*^.  W™.  Powel 
a  citizen  of  the  same  City  will  go  to  London  in  the  course  of 
y®  ensuing  summer  by  whome  I  intend  to  write  you  about  many 
things  &  they  will  be  able  to  tell  you  many  more  than  I  can 
write — in  the  mean  season  to  give  you  some  faint  Idea  of  the 
spirit  of  our  citizens  I  enclose  a  vote  of  y®  Town  of  N  Haven 
as  comprehending  its  parishes  about  which  I  say — The  Charter 
is  as  I  told  you  a  liberal  one,  &  by  y^  above  named  gentleman. 
I  propose  sending  it  to  you  without  expense,  I  wrote  you  some 
time  since  by  a  M"^  Townsend  with  a  Sermon  of  D"".  Stiles 
which  I  hope  you  have  received  also  I  asked  your  favorable 
attention  to  a  matter  we  have  much  at  heart  the  procuring  an 
Organ  for  Trinity  Church.  Shipman  &  Powel  will  I  suppose 
bring  with  them  one  Hundred  Guineas  to  procure  the  Organ 
&  case — they  will  probably  tarry  but  a  few  weeks  in  London 
&  if  the  business  could  be  forwarded  any  way  beforehand  so 
that  they  might  be  able  to  bring  it  with  them  we  should  be 
very  much  obliged — we  have  at  this  present  writing  some  70 
or  80  £  lawful  raised  for  y®  purpose,  pray  dont  fail  writing  me 
by  the  return  of  Townsend. 

We  have  had  to  grappel  with  the  most  severe  frost  the  last 
winter,  that  the  memory  of  man  can  furnish  us  with  an  account 


—35— 

of;  our  harbour  for  many  months  bound  with  frost  but  two 
or  three  days  ago  broke  up,  how  cold  it  hath  been  at  IST  Carolina 
the  last  winter  in  the  course  of  but  a  few  weeks  from  Boston 
to  ]Sr  York  it  has  been  said  we  lost  not  less  than  1500  souls — our 
commerce  as  yet  is  very  far  from  making  us  rich  most  of  our 
people  have  come  into  the  opinion  that  our  Independence  is 
not  the  one  thing  needful,  unless  poverty  is  that  thing,  how 
we  are  to  get  money  is  the  grand  question — if  we  go  to  N  Scotia 
meet  we  must  the  difficulties  that  always  attend  setlers  in  IsT 
Countrys,  if  we  stay  where  we  are  we  can  but  only  starve,  we 
shall  not  perish  by  the  Sword  that  is  Sheathed,  in  a  word  we 
are  on  the  ground  and  can  get  no  lower — Scovel  &  Andrews 
representatives  to  a  company  of  adventurers  to  the  Eastward 
set  out  in  the  month  of  April  to  explore  land  for  their  settle- 
ment, but  I  think  they  will  return  to  their  missions  and  probably 
stay  with  them  while  inhabitants  of  this  lower  world  &  that 
may  be  the  case  of  the  rest  of  your  brethren  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  N  England. — The  dissenting  clergy  have  no  cause 
of  triumph  the  late  struggle  hath  made  them  cheap  &  generally 
dispised  and  as  far  as  religion  is  thought  of  the  Church  is  now 
by  far  y'^  most  popular. 

Our  Clergy  of  Maryland  nominated  D^  Smith  for  their  Bis- 
hop, but  the  Assembly,  who  imagined  they  should  have  a  voice 
in  that  affair  would  not  approve  of  the  candidate — this  refusal 
drew  from  the  Clergy  a  Bill  of  rights  &c. — this  disagreement 
at  present  retards  the  setling  the  Church  in  that  quarter. — ]\F. 
White  a  quondam  chaplin  to  congress  Philadelphia,  goes  on 
another  plan,  &  endeavors  to  get  a  B^.  nominated  by  the  General 
Vestrys  in  that  State — our  pla7i  you  know  but  I  cannot  omit 
the  mention  of  the  favourable  attention  of  our  general  Assembly 
to  it,  they  declare  they  have  no  objection,  but  if  we  can  support 
him  they  will  give  us  no  trouble — hope  your  bishops  will  help 
us  at  this  lift — do  you  intend  to  spend  all  your  days  in  Eng- 
land ?  You  can  return  soon  if  you  will — jour  Son  at  Stratford 
is  well  &  your  friends  there.  I  shall  trouble  you  but  a  little 
more,  but  I  must  not  omit  an  important  matter  or  two  and 
will  dismiss  you — first  for  myself — in  your  future  letters  to 


—se- 
me pray  dont  fail  to  direct  to  me  thus — Rev.  B.  Hubbard 
rector  of  Trinity  Church  in  y®  City  of  IT  Haven  in  y®  first 
City  of  N  England — be  so  good  then  as  to  pull  off  your  canon- 
ical hat  in  future  to  your  canonical  &,  important  brother  of 
y^  City,  viz.  The  Rev.  Rector  Hubbard  of  the  City  of  K 
Haven — &  as  for  my  very  good  wife  &  of  her  I  have  to  observe 
that  grace  hath  &  still  doth  increase  &  for  y'  very  honorable 
mention  made  of  her  makes  you  one  of  her  best  a  very  low 
City  courtesy  &  she  hath  learned  to  make  them  for  know  you 
that  our  City  furnishes  dancing  masters,  she  prostrates  herself 
to  the  Rev.  M'".  Peters,  pimlico,  London  begs  she  may  not  be 
forgotten  of  him,  &  remembers  his  daughter  &  wishes  she  could 
mention  M''^.  Peters,  as  likewise  she  remembers  most  kindly 
]\P^  Cargel,  Miss  Harrison  &  her  good  husband  in  which  joins 
the  rector  of  the  New  City,  let  us  all  meet  again  on  better 
terms  &  in  a  more  stable  World.  your  old  friend,  who 

hath  the  honor  to  subscribe  himself  the  rector  of  &c.  &c.  your 
friend. 

Bela  Hubbard. 
Rev.  S.  Peters. 

New  Haven  Connecticut  June  1.  1784. 
My  dear  Sir: 

I  wrote  you  sometime  since  and  amongst  other  things  men- 
tioned a  matter  of  business  I  wished  you  to  transact  for  my 
little  Church,  viz.  the  procuring  for  it  an  Organ. 

In  an  application  of  this  sort  I  would  much  sooner  consult 
my  friend  y"  a  mere  Stranger,  partly  impelled  by  necessity 
to  procure  an  organ  we  wish  it  may  be  a  well  toned  and  well 
made  one  with  such  a  number  of  stops  as  will  make  it  proper 
for  excellent  Church  musick  from  the  common  Psalm  tune  to 
the  Anthem — Voluntary  &c.  &  we  wish  you  to  get  an  honest 
unprejudiced  organist  in  London  or  Westminster  to  play  on 
this  organ  and  determin  whether  it  will  answer  our  purpose 
or  not  before  it  is  sent  over. 

You  know  the  Church  building  is  but  small  the  inside  40 
by  60  feet,  the  Arch  &c  but  what  the  maker  need  to  know 


—37— 

about  this  will  appear  by  the  little  plan  of  the  space  of  the 
Church  that  is  to  contain  it — which  is  enclosed — 150  guineas 
will  be  paid  for  the  first  cost  to  the  maker  of  the  organ  &;  the 
case,  my  meaning  is  that  the  organ  case  &  shipping  expenses, 
without  the  freight  should  cost  150  guineas,  and  the  case  we 
wish  a  neat  Oak  case,  neatly  varnished,  but  would  have  no 
extravagant  work  put  on  it  and  my  good  friend  ]\P.  Isaac  Beers 
who  forwards  this  business  from  ]^  York  sends  you  £100  pounds 
sterling  &  the  remainder  will  be  compleated  in  smaller  sums 
in  six  months,  at  furtherst — a  very  able  gentleman  has  prom- 
ised us  that  as  soon  as  advice  is  received  of  its  being  shipped 
he  will  advance  us  as  far  as  £50  sterling  immediately  so  that 
we  are  sure  of  the  money  at  all  events  without  the  aid  of  the 
Churches  property  or  rents  which  also  hath  secured  us  the 
ballance. — 

Further,  we  should  wish  to  have  a  full  direction  in  writing 
describing  the  members  &  parts  of  the  organ,  &  how  they  are 
to  be  put  together  as  such  an  instrument  is  new  to  us,  also 
a  book  containing  such  instrumental  music  as  is  necessary  for 
Churches,  &  the  whole  if  got  ready  soon  enough  to  be  shipped 
&  sent  out  by  one  of  the  autumn  ships  to  X  York  that  we  may 
hear  the  sound  by  Christmass. — and  now  when  our  Church  in 
these  goings  down  of  the  sun  shall  rise  in  importance  &  flourish 
our  free  City  &  port  may  be  the  seat  of  an  Archbishop  should 
it  be  his  grace  Samuel  not  Hugh — pray  remember  your  friend 
the  underwriter  &  let  him  be  an  Archdeacon  and  let  this  self 
same  organ  do  your  Grace's  choice  do  your  Grace  much  honor — 
and  further  if  you  should  happen  to  stumble  on  some  poor 
but  yet  honest  English  lad  that  would  come  out  &  bring  with 
him  a  small  venture  in  Books  of  Psalms,  &  that  could  play 
skilfully  the  organ  &  hath  an  English  School  &  Musick  altho 
I  dare  not  promise  or  engage  any  thing  yet  I  think  he  might 
procure  a  decent  support  here,  think  of  this  my  friend  and 
be  not  backward  in  this  whole  business  &  you  may  depend 
upon  it  that  myself  and  all  your  musical  friends  will  love  & 
thank  you. 


—38— 

Praj  let  me  know  what  is  said  &  all  that  is  said  about  an 
American  bishop  in  these  times  of  unhappiness  on  your  side 
of  the  water  in  my  next  letter  which  I  intend  to  write  you 
from  N"  Milford  where  a  meeting  of  your  brethren  in  Trinity 
week  will  be  held  I  shall  give  you  a  picture  of  our  present 
State  &  condition  both  in  Church  &  State  till  then  I  must 
take  my  leave  and  beg  you  to  believe  me,  with  M''^  Hub- 
bards  best  love  &  to  Miss  Hannah  yours  faithfully  &  most 

affectionately 

Bela  Hubbard. 

IST.B.  Since  the  writing  the  above  our  good  friend  &  Brother 
M".  Leaming  came  to  my  house  from  Stratford  (where  he  is 
building  up  the  ruins  of  that  Church)  and  brought  in  with 
him  your  little  Son  who  is  in  perfect  health  &  looks  as  you 
did  when  you  was  16  years  old — M''.  Birdseye  wishes  you  & 
daughter  to  send  over  to  him  or  any  other  person  a  power 
of  attorney  to  take  possession  of  your  &  her  interest  which  is 
not  confiscated  &  is  safely  yours,  but  is  at  present  let  out  by 
the  high  Sheriff  of  Hartford. 

Yours  as  before 

B.  H. 
Eev"^  S.  Peters. 

COPY. 

Ko.  Exch.  £100  "  -  "  -  Sterling,  ITew-York,  June  10th,  1784 
Forty  Days  after  Sight  of  this  draft  per  Exchange,   (second 

and  third  unpaid)    

pay  M^  Isaac  Beers or  Order, 

One  Hundred  Pounds Sterling 

Value  received,  and  charge  the  same  to  Account,  with  or 
without  advice  from 

To 

John  Rivington  Esq.  James  Rivington 

&  Sons 

London. 


—so- 
New  Haven  N'ovember  25'\  1784. 
Reverend  &  dear  brother, 

I  am  sincerely  obliged  to  you  for  your  letter  of  the  21^^  of 
July  handed  to  me  by  M"".  Townsend  &  for  your  polite  &  kind 
attention  to  him  he  speaks  of  it  with  gratitude — your  ideas 
of  T)\  Ezra  Stiles  &  his  piece  which  his  Son  called  pop-rohin 
perfectly  agree  with  those  generally  entertained  on  this  side 
the  water. 

The  reception  his  piece  met  with  from  the  public  is  a 
sufficient  mortification  to  the  poor  man. 

I  acknowledge  with  the  same  gratitude  likewise  yours  of 
July  14**^.  via  I^  York  enclosed  in  which  was  a  letter  for  your 
friend  D"".  Sutton  which  I  forwarded  to  brother  Abraham  and 
doubt  not  but  he  hath  carefully  forwarded  it  to  the  Doctor, 
by  the  way  brother  Abraham  hath  been  the  Father  of  one  child 
by  Sister  !N"ancy  but  deceased  from  after  its  birth  whither  this 
took  place  before,  or  since  your  departure  from  America  I 
forget,  the  good  old  man  remains  rector  of  Christ  Chh  in  the 
City  of  Middletown  &  hath  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  con- 
gregation grow  in  numbers  &  importance — tis  pleasurable  fur- 
ther to  tell  you  that  I  have  been  highly  delighted  with  yours  of 
August  &  the  pamphlets  and  30  odd  pages  in  manuscript. — 
you  have  bought  an  Organ  for  £157.  Ster:  &  endorsed 
the  £100  bill  to  M"".  Henry  Holland,  we  hoped  to  have  had 
it  at  Christmass  but  by  M''.  Austin's  arrival  without  it 
which  was  at  N  York  on  the  14*^  of  the  present  month  & 
who  left  London  about  the  24*''.  of  September  we  think 
whether  it  will  not  be  too  late  to  send  it  out  this  winter,  he 
saith  about  ten  days  previous  to  his  sailing  he  called  at  your 
house  to  see  you  but  did  not  find  you  at  home,  I  had  been 
flattered  with  an  expectation  of  receiving  by  him  a  fresh 
packet  from  you — your  letter  by  y^  way  of  Rhodeisland  to 
M"".  Isaac  Beers  hath  not  as  yet  come  to  hand — I  think  we 
mentioned  a  wish  to  you  to  get  the  Organ  ensured  out  you 
will  be  kind  enough  to  do  it  when  you  send  it.  you  mentioned 
in  your  last  to  me  that  there  remained  due  to  the  late  M''. 


—40— 

Kneeland  from  the  Society  £25.  Ster.  enclosed  I  send  a  bill 
of  exchange  endorsed  to  you  with  Letters  f™  D^  Johnson  & 
Learning  if  the  bills  are  honoured  by  the  Society  as  I  trust 
they  will  be,  wish  you  to  be  so  good  as  to  pay  the  contents  to 
M"",  Henry  Holland  for  the  organ,  &  what  further  will  remain 
due  to  him,  we  shall  endeavor  in  the  course  of  the  Winter  to  col- 
lect &  transmit  to  you,  mean  while  I  hope  M''.  Holland  will 
be  under  no  uneasiness  for  the  rest  due  as  he  may  depend 
on  it  shortly,  although  Church  work  as  old  S*^.  Roger  said, 
is  slow-worh — your  humane  and  polite  attention  we  do  not 
forget  but  you  will  hear  further  on  these  matters. 

I  was  much  surprised  to  hear  that  the  late  M'.  Kneel ands 
character  as  a  Loyalist  had  suffered  with  the  Society,  wish  I 
could  know  from  what  quarters  the  accusation  came,  to  his 
death  you  may  depend  on  it  he  remained  a  loyal  &  firm  friend 
to  his  Majesty  &  government,  no  suspicion  to  y^  contrary  was 
ever  hinted  here. 

Brother  Bostwick  was  here  in  September  last  he  never  hinted 
y®  least  suspicion  of  his  entertaining  a  thought  of  your 
unfriendliness  to  him — I  doubt  on  your  side  the  water  you 
have  too  many  stirrers  up  of  difficulty — and  with  regard  to 
the  information  you  had  of  the  conduct  of  your  brethren  here 
in  the  late  distracted  times  it  was  unjust  &  cruel — when  your 
letters  were  Seized  they  were  brought  to  l!^  Haven  by  Hosmer 
now  no  more,  who  called  on  me  &  pretended  friendship,  I  sent 
for  several  of  the  brethren  &  they  were  met  at  my  house  by 
more  than  60  I  believe  of  y^  lower  house  of  Assembly  who 
were  clamourous  to  get  us  publicly  to  condemn  your  conduct 
&  to  say  that  we  did  not  think  y^  was  a  necessity  for  your  going 
away,  we  persisted  in  it  to  y®  last  y*  you  could  not  get  pro- 
tection from  Gov"".  Trumbul  after  an  application  to  him  for 
it,  and  that  therefore  we  did  think  you  justified  before  God 
&  man  in  going  away  &  that  we  shod  have  done  the  like  in 
the  like  situation,  and  all  that  we  did  in  effect  say  ultimately 
was  that  we  did  not  at  that  time  know  of  it,  a  short  piece  of 
this  tenor  &  importing  in  short  our  political  creed  was  inserted 
in  the  newspapers  w*^**  I  have  taken  pains  to  get  &  send  you — 
!M^  Isaac  Beers  told  me  sometime  since  that  he  had  seen  it 


—41— 

among  his  papers  &  would  hand  it  to  me,  but  upon  a  further 
search  he  was  not  able  to  find  it,  but  I  hope  yet  to  procure  it 
&  I  will  send  it  you  &  our  conduct  will  then  appear  to  you 
in  a  very  different  point  of  light  from  the  representation  of 
it  on  your  side  of  water  possibly  by  some  members  of  the 
then  Gen\  Assembly,  t'was  but  lately  we  had  any  hints  of  foul 
play  in  this  matter,  but  if  you  have  any  remaining  uneasiness, 
I  can  assure  you  with  great  sincerity  that  at  that  time,  &  at 
all  times  your  character  stood  high  &  altogether  unempeached 
by  any  of  your  Brethren  of  the  clergy  or  laity  on  our  side  of 
y®  question  &  still  doth,  but  enough  of  this  for  y®  present. 

M'.  Leaming  has  placed  himself  at  Stratford  &  doubtless 
gives  you  information  of  the  condition  of  your  son. — 

I  send  you  likewise  the  doings  of  a  convention  &  premising 
that  the  Connecticut  Clergy  are  no  friends  to  the  lay  represen- 
tation, &  if  we  are  ever  so  happy  as  to  have  a  bishop  at  our 
head  we  shall  be  able  I  trust  to  preserve  our  Church  in  Con- 
necticut decent — W.  Smith  always  busy  hath  published  a 
Sermon  &  written  some  remarks  on  the  proceedings  of  the 
clergy  &  laity  of  Maryland  for  the  establishment  of  a  bishop 
in  that  Province  I  will  try  to  get  &  send  it  you. 

Lizard  Peter,  the  rector  of  pauls  hath  received  yours  in 
answer  to  one  written  by  deacon  Scovel  &  himself  f™  Nova 
Scotia — M^  Bowden  I  think  will  settle  himself  at  Norwalk 
where  y''  remains  still  a  respectable  body  of  Chh  people  but 
my  dear  Sir  this  country  is  really  poor  and  will  remain  so  at 
least  through  the  present  generation.  I  think  with  you  that 
our  best  days  are  gone,  I  shall  endeavor  for  myself  to  get 
through  life  with  as  much  ease  to  myself  with  respect  to  any 
Gov*^.  as  possible.  I  have  been  heretofore  anxious  &  distressed 
I  leave  it  all  &  hope  to  meet  you  where  good  gov*^.  obtains  & 
where  friendship  will  by  no  means  be  interrupted — in  the 
mean  season  I  shall  always  be  happy  to  hear  of  any  good 
that  awaits  you  &  yours  &  as  to  support  (Src,  all  that  I  am  able 
to  collect  is  that  the  Rev**.  ]VP.  Peters  resides  at  Pimlico  in 
his  own  hired  house  &  that  he  entertains  all  that  call  on  him 
with  much  hospitality  &  elegance — you  are  not  married  nor 
your  dear  Hannah  it  shod  seem,  I  wish  when  that  event  takes 


—42— 

place  you  &  she  may  be  as  happy  as  you  wish  &  that  your  hap- 
piness may  increase  &  multiply  upon  you  continually  as  long 
as  you  wish  it,  &  that  at  last  the  fervent  S*^.  Peter  may  open 
to  you  a  gate  which  will  let  you  in  to  a  scene  of  happiness 
too  great  for  description — Grace  D.  Hubbard  my  good  Spouse 
yet  lives  &  hath  been  y®  mother  of  9  children  of  which  6  are 
now  living  4  sons  &  two  daughters  viz.  John  James,  IsTancy, 
Bela,  Elisabeth,  Frederic,  &  Thomas  Still,  James  &  ISTancy 
begin  to  remind  us  of  our  old  age,  this  comfort  of  mine  doth 
not  forget  you  &  yours  &  wishes  to  see  &  tell  you  what  a 
sense  she  hath  of  the  very  kind  notice  you  take  of  her,  she 
begs  her  best  love  to  you  &  Miss  Hannah  D®  ve  Peters,  &  like- 
wise we  present  our  love  to  M'.  &  M".  Cargel  whom  we  wish 
happy,  pray  is  old  M^  Harrison  her  uncle  yet  alive?  I  wish 
I  could  see  your  daughter  touch  y®  chord  of  a  musical  instru- 
ment &  her  feet  &  fine  shape  in  a  minuet  tell  her  still  to  dance 
&  rejoice !  I  believe  we  shall  see  one-another  yet  on  this 
side  y®  grave !  Grace  wishes  you  to  tell  her  how  Miss  Hannah 
came  by  her  new  name  she  supposes  it  was  given  her  in  her 
travils  abroad  you  must  let  her  know  in  your  next,  we  are 
all  as  we  were  poor  &  if  y®  Society  drops  us  we  are  ruined, — • 
I  will  endeavor  soon  to  write  you  again,  my  Brother  &  Sister 
Hubbard  drove  from  Guilford  in  y^  fury  of  y®  late  times 
lives  here  and  loves  you  &  I^  Caldwell  who  calls  ready  to 
laugh  &  Bless  you  and  your  Letters. 

Yours  affectionately, 

B.  Hubbard. 


^ew  Haven  January  29***.  1785. 
My  dear  brother, 

I  take  this  method,  to  introduce  to  you,  my  friend  &  parish- 
ioner M^  Jared  Mansfield,  a  young  Gentleman  of  a  liberal 
education  &  of  a  mathematical  genius  a  Son  of  the  late  M^ 
Stephen  Mansfield  a  quondam  faithful  Church  Warden  of  mine, 
now  in  Heaven,  &  when  on  Earth  as  loyal  a  subject  of  his 
King  as  he  was  a  faithful  one  to  his  God — he  is  in  company 
with    Cap*^.    French    another    worthy    character    &    excellent 


—43— 

parishioner  of  mine,  these  men  will  probably  stay  in  your 
overgrown  City  8  or  10  weeks,  and  any  civilities  shown  them 
will  be  gratefully  received  by  them  &  not  easily  forgotten  by 
the  underwriter  your  ancient  &  present  old  fashioned  friend. 

They  will  I  presume  be  very  able  to  answer  any  questions 
you  may  be  disposed  to  ask  them,  about  pil-garlie  in  particular, 
and  your  own  bamboozled  brethren  in  general,  in  the  States 
in  general — bamboozled  by  both  countries — Our  affairs  are 
in  a  very  narrow  circle,  we  are  considered  as  of  no  conse- 
quence, as  nobody,  are  poor,  contemptible  &  forgotten — ^your 
world  is  mad ! — wish  they  would  recover  their  senses,  but  I 
presume  however  they  will  take  th"^  own  way  &  they  must. 
For  myself  I  intend  to  meet  you  in  heaven,  short  of  that  Coun- 
try I  expect  nothing. — But  why  doth  England  refuse  to  meet 
us  on  the  ground  of  religion?  Why  will  she  not  give  us  a 
bishop,  did  they  once  but  open  y'"  eyes  they  would  certainly  see 
it  just  &  very  political,  but  if  they  will  keep  y^  eyes  closed  we 
cannot  help  it! — Your  premier  I  do  not  like,  he  appears  to 
be  an  unfeeling  boy,  &  let  C".  Price  be  hanged,  &  go  where 
he  belongs,  I  like  him  not — as  a  politician  I  am  afraid  he  is 
too  much  listened  to  &  that  the  Presbyterian  interest  is  a  grow- 
ing interest — tell  me  how  that  is  and  tell  me  every  thing  proper 
for  me  to  know  by  y®  return  of  my  friends — I  believe  in  my 
last  I  told  you  of  the  reception  of  your  pamphlets  &  Lucuba- 
tions  they  have  afforded  me  much  pleasure  &  your  friends  in 
this  part  of  the  world. — 

M^  Leaming  I  told  you  was  setled  at  Stratford  &  ]\P  Boding 
at  ISTorwalk,  M"".  Leaming  hath  resided  principally  with  M'. 
Birdsey  where  of  course  your  little  Son  hath  become  an  object 
of  his  attention,  he  is  really  a  fine  child  &  when  I  see  him 
brings  you  to  my  mind  as  you  looked  at  the  age  of  Sixteen — 
I  have  heard  nothing  from  him  some  weeks  although  I  presume 
they  are  all  well  as  lately  I  have  had  a  line  from  M"".  Leaming. 

JVP.  James  Sayre  hath  settled  with  the  people  of  Guilford 
&  Branford  with  a  Salary  of  £80  p'  annum  &  last  Saturday 
I  had  a  letter  from  our  Brother  M'  John  Graves  signifying  a 
wish  to  come  into  Connecticut,  so  that  the  old  missions  are 
filling  up  &  if  we  had  a  bishop  at  our  head  the  Church  would 


—44— 

soon  be  numerous  &  respectible.  I  shall  add  no  more  at  the 
present  but  a  wish  for  your  &  the  happiness  of  your  amiable 
daughter  whom  God  long  preserve  to  vou. — M".  Cargel  perhaps 
hath  ere  this  been  told  of  y^  decease  of  her  good  mother  M". 
Harrison  at  Ehodeisland  which  happen'd  a  few  weeks  since 
our  compliments  of  condolence  to  her  &  partner,  and  accept 
M'■^  Hubbards  &  my  familys  best  love  to  you  &  Miss  Hannah, 
which  concludes  me  dear  M^  Peters  your  affectionate  Brother 
&  obliged  humble  Servant. 

Bela  Hubbard. 
Eev"^.  M^  Peters. 


Dear  Sir, 

Yours  of  the  6*''  of  September  via  Boston  came  to  hand,  and 
I  wrote  you  a  long  letter  in  answer  which  I  expected  to  have 
sent  by  M^  Samuel  Broome,  and  after  having  sealed  it  &  got 
a  bundle  of  pamphlets  &  a  letter  from  M"".  Trumbul  IT  Haven 
which  are  now  on  hand  to  go  still  I  hope  before  winter  is 
ended  perhaps  by  W"".  Hillhouse,  I  was  disappointed  in  Broomes 
failing — if  God  Spares  my  life  I  will  add  many  more  words  & 
pamphlets  to  those  already  Sealed  up  which  are  by  me,  but 
of  this  hereafter — at  present  I  must  trouble  you  with  the 
Postage   of  this   on   my   own   concerns.       I   have   this   day   a 

M^  Whitlock 
letter    from    one    of    the    wardens    of    S\    Johns    Church 

Cap^ 
by  the  way  poor  Camp  left  this  world  eleven  days  after 
his  arrival  at  S\  Johns — I  am  behol"  with  a  hint  you  furnished 
some  one  at  S\  Johns  that  Bayley  would  not  be  appointed  to 
that  living  &  that  I  could  have  it  for  asking  for  it — I  am  here 
as  poor  as  Jobs  hens  or  Turkeys,  but  if  all  other  difficulties 
were  removed,  how  am  I  to  get  my  expenses  paid  in  removing 
my  family  to  that  country  and  will  the  Society  continue  the 
£50  for  certain  during  my  life — If  I  could  support  my  great 
family  at  S*.  Johns  as  I  think  I  cannot  here  if  the  Society 
would  be  pleased  to  appoint  me  their  missionary  there  why  I 


—45— 

think  I  would  if  too,  in  pity  to  my  moneyless  state  bare  my 
expenses  to  the  parish",  venture  to  go  to  that  cold  country — you 
know  I  love  and  allways  shall  continue  to  love  that  country  from 
which  I  am  now  seperated — but  M^  Whitlock  says  he  under- 
stands that  Bishop  Inglis  hath  wrote  a  Second  letter  in  favour 
of  D"".  Bayley  but  if  you  will  try  to  hold  y®  parish  for  me,  I 
will  as  early  as  possible,  write  to  D"".  Morice  &  lay  my  dis- 
tressed condition  before  y®  Society  &  beg  an  appointment  of 
me  to  S*'.  John— what  you  wrote  about  M"".  Dibblee  being  at 
S*.  John  is  altogether  a  mistake — he  has  never  been  there  old 
]\F.  Dibblee,  and  I  never  learned  that  he  had  any  thoughts 
of  going  there,  he  has  not  been  there, — my  eyes  are  Sore  I 
cannot  write  and  my  thoughts  are  I  know  not  where, — pray 
good  Doctor  Peters  will  you  think  Still  of  Bela  &  Grace  & 
:N'ancy  &  James  &  Bela  2*^  &  Frederic  &  Thomas  &  Betsey  &  W. 
Henry  &c. — of  Grace  &  all  her  children — &  help  the  old  couple 
to  be  in  a  situation  to  scramble  for  them — pray  do  know  of  D"". 
Morice  too,  whither  the  Government  Salary  will  be  continued 
&  whither  any  chaplinships  can  be  tacked  to  that  parish — in 
short  help  me  if  you  can,  &  I  will  write  soon  to  the  Society 
meanwhile  I  rest  your  humble  admirer  altho'  in  the 
State  of  Connecticut — with  Graces  love  to  you  M''.  and  M". 
Jarvis  your  own  &  your  Grandson  I  am  as  ever  your  real  friend 
&  very  humble  Servant. 

Bela  Hubbard. 

N^ew  Haven  four  days  before  Xmas — 

be  the  blessings  of  that  Season  yours — 

I  shall  write  you  soon — 

Write  me  by  y*^  first  packet. 

Kev''  D^  Peters. 

Reverend  Doctor  Samuel  Peters 
Charlotte  Street  Pimlico 
London — 
Hubbard  Bela 
21  Dec^   1788 
rec^  March  2-89- 


New  Haven  Pecember  27*^  1Y88 
Dear  Sir, 

A  few  days  since  I  wrote  to  you,  but  as  a  Vessel  sails  to 
morrow  for  England  I  must  still  trouble  you  with  another  line 
on  my  concerns  only,  I  have  weighed  as  well  as  I  am  able  my 
going  to  S*.  John — and  by  this  conveyance  tell  D^  Maurice 
that  I  will  if  the  Society  say  so — and  will  render  permanent 
the  Salary  of  150,  from  Gov°\  &  them,  and  will  be  at  y** 
expense  of  removing  me  but  will  you  dear  Sir,  be  so  good  as 
to  trouble  y'  self  further,  &  know  if  there  is  no  chaplinship 
obtainable  to  add  to  y*"  comforts  of  a  Mission  as  cold  as  Green- 
land, if  there  is  any  thing  in  that  way  pray  help  me  if  you 
can  &  I  will  pray  for  you  &  wish  you  well  untill  you  shall  have 
no  need  of  prayers  &  wishes, — Grace  thanks  you, — I  shall 
send  you  Trumbuls  pamphlets  with  others  soon,  I  can  now 
add  no  more  as  the  Vessel  I  now  find  is  going  off  only  that  T 
am  yours  affectionately, 

B.  Hubbard 

Your  kinsman  in  College  Dined  with  me  yesterday  is  clever — 
God  bless  you  all — 
Kev''.  D'.  Peters— 

SAMUEL  (ANDREW)  PETERS. 

Samuel  (Andrew),  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Mark)  Peters,  was  born 
at  Hebron,  Connecticut,  November  20,  1735,  0.  S. 

He  was  educated  in  the  common  country  school  of  the  village  and  pri- 
vately prepared  for  College.     He  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1757. 

He  had  conformed  to  the  Church  of  England  and  studied  theology  under 
Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  of  Stratford.  He  went  to  England  in  the  fall  of  1758, 
bearing  letters  of  commendation  from  Dr.  Johnson  and  others.  Soon  after 
his  arrival  he  had  a  severe  attack  of  small  pox.  The  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury and.  the  Bishop  of  London  saw  that  he  was  well  cared  for  and  per- 
sonally visited  him  when  the  possibility  of  infection  was  past.  He  was 
made  deacon  and  ordained  priest  in  the  summer  of  1759.  His  license  to 
officiate  in  Plantations  was  given  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  August  25  of 
that  year. 

He  made  full  proof  of  his  ministry,  was  affectionately  regarded  by  his 
parishioners  and  by  the  clergy  of  the  colony  was  most  highly  esteemed. 
He  did  much  missionary  work,  notably  in  the  New  Hampshire  Grant,  now 


—47— 

Vermont.  In  a  letter  to  the  Venerable  Society,  he  describes  one  visit  when 
he  took  his  clerk  with  him,  and  after  prayer  upon  a  hill  top,  from  which 
an  extensive  view  can  be  liad,  he  named  the  region  verd  mont. 

Mr.  Peters  was  a  thorough  and  consistent  believer  in  a  united  British 
Empire;  in  conversation  and  formal  argument  and  in  newspapers  of  the  day 
he  showed  his  bitter  detestation  of  any  attempt  at  independence.  So  bitter 
was  his  pen  that  in  the  summer  of  1774,  when  there  had  reached 
Hebron  copies  of  the  reports  sent  by  Mr.  Peters,  as  they  thought,  the  Sons 
of  Liberty  called  upon  him  defiant  and  angry  and  demanded  the  retraction 
of  the  malicious  libels  upon  the  cause  of  American  freedom.  Mr.  Peters 
stoutly  refused,  was  hooted,  jeered  at  and  his  house  and  furniture  damaged. 
After  a  second  visit  from  the  same  persons  he  fled  from  Hebron  to  Boston 
after  having  on  Sunday,  September  4,  1774,  while  all  men  were  indignant 
at  the  British  troops  for  firing  upon  Boston.  He  sailed  for  England  in 
October,  leaving  behind  him  house,  land  and  children.  His  daughter 
Hannah  joined  him  in  London  after  some  time. 

Mr.  Peters  lived  comfortably  upon  a  pension  from  the  Crown,  engaging 
in  literary  and  political  work,  receiving  hospitably  the  friends  who  in 
those  troubled  times  visited  England.  He  hoped  that  he  might  be  made 
Bishop  of  Nova  Scotia  and  friends  solicited  the  honour  for  him. 

The  circumstances  under  which  he  was  elected  Bishop  of  Vermont  in 
February,  1794,  were  somewhat  extraordinary,  for  Dr.  Samuel  Bass  of 
Newburyport,  Massachusetts,  had  been  elected  a  few  months  previously  and 
had  not  declined. 

The  efforts  to  obtain  consecration  for  Dr.  Peters  in  England  were  unavail- 
ing. Xo  request  appears  to  have  been  made  to  the  American  Bishops.  The 
testimonials  necessary  could  not  have  been  furnished,  for  Dr.  Peters  seldom 
oflaciated  anj'where.  In  the  course  of  the  correspondence  he  suggested  a 
state  ceremonial  by  proclamation  of  the  governor  and  acknowledgment 
of  him  by  the  clergy,  citing  passages  from  ancient  writers  to  prove  its 
legality  and  feasibility  In  addition  to  an  epistle  to  the  Church  in  Vermont 
which  has  been  printed,  there  are  found  among  his  manuscripts  two 
charges  and  forms  for  letters  of  order  and  a  device  for  the  seal  of  the 
Diocese. 

A  difference  of  opinion  and  controversy  with  William  Pitt,  the  Prime 
Minister,  in  1804  caused  that  dignitary  to  strike  his  name  from  the  pension 
list.  Broken  in  health,  but  indomitable  in  spirit,  he  returned  to  the  United 
States  in  1805.  He  spent  several  years  in  Washington  endeavoring  to 
obtain  from  Congress  a  confirmation  of  a  grant  of  land  near  the  Fall  of 
St.  Anthony,  now  the  site  of  Minneapolis  and  St.  Paul,  by  the  Indians  to 
the  famous  traveler,  Jonathan  Carver,  who  gave  it  to  Dr.  John  Coakley 
Lettsom  and  Dr.  Peters.  He  failed  utterly,  but  still  persevered  in  his 
attempt  to  have  the  Indians  ratify  it.  He  commenced  a  journey  to  the 
Northwest  for  that  purpose  in  1817,  but  was  taken  ill  and  was  tenderly 
cared  for  by  Indians  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  Wisconsin,  during  the  winter. 

He  died  in  the  City  of  New  York,  April  10,  1826. 

Dr.  Peters  married,  February  14,  1760,  Hannah,  a  daughter  of  Silas  and 
Elizabeth  Owen  of  Hebron,  Connecticut.    Two  daughters  were  born  to  them, 


—48— 

Hannah,  who  died  an  infant^  March  2^  1761,  and  Hannah  Delavan,  who 
was  born  January  2,  1762.  She  married,  in  London,  England,  William 
Jarvis,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Martha  (Seymour)  Jarvis  of  Norwalk,  Con- 
necticut. Her  husband  was  an  officer  in  the  first  American  Regiment  and 
served  in  Canada,  where  he  held  several  civil  offices,  among  tliem,  that  of 
provincial  secretary  in  the  administration  of  Governors  Simcoe,  Hunter 
and  Gore.  He  died  at  York,  Canada,  August  13,  1817.  Mrs.  Jarvis  died 
at  Queenstown,  Canada,  September  20,  1845.     They  had  seven  children. 

Mr.  Peters  married  for  the  second  time,  June  28,  1769,  Abigail,  a 
daughter  of  Captain  Samuel  Gilbert.     She  died  July  14,  1769. 

He  married  for  the  third  time  at  Stratford,  Connecticut,  April  21,  1773, 
Mary,  the  only  daughter  of  William  and  Eunice  (Benjamin)  Birdseye.  She 
died  at  Hebron,  June  16,  1774.  They  had  one  son,  born  at  Hebron,  June 
16,  1774,  and  named  William  Birdseye.  He  was  brought  up  until  his 
fourteenth  year  by  his  grandparents  and  then  completed  his  education  in 
England  and  France  under  the  supervision  of  his  father.  He  graduated 
from  Oxford  University,  studied  law  at  the  Temple,  London,  practiced  in 
Canada  and  Mobile,  Alabama,  where  he  died  in  1817. 

Dr.  Peters'  most  famous  work,  though  never  formally  acknowledged  by 
him,  is:  "A  General  History  of  Connecticut,  By  a  Gentleman  of  the 
Province,"  published  originally  in  London  in  1781  and  republished  in  1829, 
and  in  a  final  edition  in  1877  by  Samuel  Jarvis  McCormick.  The  satirical 
tone,  the  sometimes  malicious  amusement  of  the  writer  over  the  events  of 
Connecticut  history,  their  treatment  of  all  dissenters  from  Congregational- 
ism, and  his  printing  of  certain  alleged  laws  which  he  called  the  Blue 
Laws,  holding  some  of  these  up  to  ridicule,  brought  upon  him  much 
vituperation  and  abuse.  Writers  upon  Connecticut  history  even  to  the  pres- 
ent day  speak  of  it  as  untruthful,  unfair  and  exaggerated.  It  has,  however, 
been  shown  that  the  "laws"  have  a  resemblance  to  some  which  were 
enacted  in  the  early  days  of  the  Colony. 

He  also  published  in  1785,  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  John  Tyler  on  the  Possi- 
bility of  Eternal  Punishment  and  the  Improbability  of  Universal  Salvation; 
A  History  of  the  Rev.  Hugh  Peters,  1807;  besides  articles  in  the  English 
magazines  and  papers. 


Eev"^.  Sir 

I  place  my  Confidance  on  your  Goodness  to  pardon  me  for 
offering  my  Sentiments  concerning  a  Clergyman  who  is  by  you 
to  be  named  your  Successor  at  Halifax — your  acquaintance 
with  that  People  &  your  Popularity  in  that  Country,  your 
Abilities,  long  Service  &  Great  Merit  were  Keasons  Sufficient 
to  have  made  you  the  Bishop  of  Nova  Scotia  in  any  Periods 
of  time  before  1788  and  after  1788.  The  Authors  of  this  neg- 
lect too  late  see  their  Error,  and  were  they  not  Infidels  or 


—49— 

Dissenters  from  our  excellent  Establishment,  thej  would  Mourn 
for  folly  and  for  the  Ruin  of  our  Church  in  Kova  Scotia  under 
a  Redemptioner  whose  recent  Conduct  added  to  his  former 
compleats  his  character  to  the  Disgrace  of  the  Mitre — Qui  vult 
perdere  &c.  &c. — seems  applicable  to  the  Society  as  well  as  the 
Civil  Powers  of  Great  Britain — they  spend  great  sums  of 
money  in  their  Colonies  to  support  the  Church  &  by  ever  send- 
ing improper  Clergymen  &  civil  Rulers  displease  the  Colonists 
and  turn  from  the  Church  &  State — nothing  appears  so  absurd 
in  my  Opinion,  as  to  consult  only  three  or  four  leading  Men 
about  who  shall  be  the  Clergyman  of  a  town — this  Conduct  will 
never  increase  the  Church  in  America  &  it  has  almost  emptied 
the  Churches  in  England — The  Society  have  appointed  D'. 
Byles  Missioner  at  S^  John's — &  by  it  have  made  it  necessary 
for  the  People  to  shelter  themselves  under  James  &  Milton 
Lady  Huntingdon's  Chaplains — and  the  rest,  in  general,  will 
follow — and  Sally  Criecy  or  Mother  Plantan  cannot  prevent, 
them,  nor  hinder  their  Belief  in  D^  Califfs  Reports. — 

If  you  intend  (as  I  believe  you  do)  the  Prosperity  of  the 
Church  in  Halifax ;  you  will  not  be  directed  by  any  Individual 
in  that  Town,  in  appointing  your  Successor — I  know  your 
Character  well,  and  that  the  People  there  esteem  it  highly — & 
I  know  of  no  Man  that  can  succeed  to  you  with  half  the  Repu- 
tation you  left,  unless  it  be  the  Rev*^.  Bela  Hubbard  of  N^ew- 
haven  in  Connecticut,  whose  voice,  address,  and  politeness 
exceeds  all  every  other  Clergyman  ever  known  to  me  in  IsTew 
England. — His  Character  is  perfectly  known  to  M^  H.  Loyd, 
he  is  a  good  Scholar,  &  is  Dean  Barkley's  Greek  Examiner  at 
the  University  of  !N^ew  Haven — he  was  invited  to  succeed  D'. 
Apthorp  at  Cambridge,  &  D^  Cutler  at  Boston  but  he  refused 
both — he  was  a  disciple  of  &  a  Convert  of  mine  from  the  Dis- 
senters— &  excelled  in  perfections  the  Rev"^.  M'.  Kneeland — 
who  was  known  to  you — &  me — .  If  any  man  besides  you  can 
unite  the  People  of  Halifax  as  they  were  when  you  left  them, 
M'.  Hubbard  for  his  own  good  &  that  of  the  Church  you  have 
been  forty  years  in  building  up.  He  has  a  large  Family  & 
brought  up  in  great  politeness  in  a  most  delightful  Town  now 


—50— 

oppressed  with  Taxes  &  Poverty  &  discontent  with  Congress — 
M'.  Hubbard  has  been  always  loyal,  and  good  policy  makes  his 
wish  on  December  27^^  1788  worthy  of  J^otice, — his  views  are 
not  made  known  in  Connecticut  yet — If  you  should  think 
proper  to  recommend  him  for  your  successor  at  Halifax — he 
Expects  to  be  a  Servant  of  the  Society  and  not  a  dean  to  a 
Redemptioner — One  thing  more,  M'.  Hubbard  has  a  grateful 
Heart,  an  Article  understood  by  only  few  of  the  Clergy  since 
the  Reformation — 

I  have  the  honour  to  be  Rev^.  Sir 

Your  affectionate  Friend  and 

Most  humble  Servant 

Samuel  Peters. 
Ye¥.  S\  1789 
Rev**.  D'.  Breynton. 
To 

The  Rev*^.  Doctor  Peters 

Charlotte  Street  pimlico 

London 
p'  Cap*. 

William  Miles 

Hubbard  Bela 
December  27-1788 


Brother  Ab™  mutters  &  drops  his  lip  that  he  is  forgotten 
by  you  &  says  he  should  write  you  but  has  never  a  private 
conveyance,  have  pitty  upon  Ab""  The  Israelite  at  Derby  is  as 
you  are  wifeless  &  will  continue  so, — Your  Nephew  is  a  Stu- 
dent of  Law  he  was  with  me  from  the  North  last  week  on  his 
way  to  Hebron  he  is  clever  &  bids  fair  to  do  honour  to  the 
Name — Orace  remembers  you  as  does  Levi,  Anna,  Caldwell  & 
Clarinda,  but  I  think  Clarinda  is  in  a  decline  and  may  soon 
go  to  heaven — We  have  been  visited  in  the  united  States  last 
fall  &  this  spring  with  the  Influenza  wch  in  many  Instances 
proved  fatal  especially  to  old  people,  it  carried  off  my  old  Clerk 
Joseph  Browne  a  good  old  venerable  man  in  his  89*''  year,  if 


—51— 

M^  Leavenworth,  is  y^  bearer  of  this  he  has  been  to  London 
before  perhaps  you  know  him,  he  is  a  Lawyer  of  this  Town 
Son  to  M'.  Leavenworth  of  Waterbury  he  is  a  sensible  man, 
if  it  is  Baldwin  I  dont  know  him  but  suppose  he  is  a  good  man 
by  y®  return  of  y®  one  or  the  other  whoever  it  is  pray  write 
me,  and  believe  me  as  long  as  I  live  your  sincerely  attached 
friend  &  obliged  humble  Servant. 

Bela  Hubbard. 
After  folding  up  my  letter  I  find  it  is  probable  that  W. 
Baldwin  will  be  the  bearer  who  tho  not  a  man  of  much  address 
is  esteemed  an  honest  worthy  man — he  may  have  some  ques- 
tions to  ask  you  on  the  business  he  goes  upon  he  is  trusty  & 
clever. 

Kev^.  D'^:  Peters. 

Hubbard  Bela  Eev*^. 
5  July  1790 
22  August  1790  Eec^ 
30  Octob'.  Answr^ 
D^  Baldwin. 

New  Haven  October  30*^  1790. 
Dear  Sir: 

This  moment  M^  Broome  called  on  me  to  let  me  know  that 
he  sets  out  for  Norfolk  to  morrow  morning  to  embark  once 
more  for  England,  and  mentions  to  me  the  very  kind  and 
gentleman  like  treatment  he  hath  met  with  from  you,  &  speaks 
in  y^  most  handsom  manner  of  you  in  all  companies,  as  do  all 
our  folks  who  visit  your  World — I  wish  I  had  known  sooner 
of  this  Voige,  I  would  have  sent  you  a  New  American  prayer 
hook  the  constitutions  to  w*^*"  it  pertains  I  send  you  with  a 
catologue  of  Yale  College,  the  president  of  which  tells  me  that 
if  you  will  send  your  signature,  or  rather  the  Name  of  the 
College  in  w^^,  or,  from  which,  you  received  your  Doctorate 
he  will  be  careful  to  do  you  justice — he  is  more  friendly  & 
is  sorry  I  believe  that  he  ever  has  written  any  thing  against 
the  Ch''.  in  particular — with  regard  to  our  ecclesiastical  con- 


—52— 

stitution  lately  adopted  in  this  &  other  States  I  can  only  say 
that  it  is  the  best  we  could  get  for  the  present — the  door  being 
still  open  for  amendments,  it  may  yet  be  amended  and  I  do 
believe  such  as  our  Church  now  is  it  will  be  increased  by  large 
additions  from  the  Congregatiolists  who  are  much  pestured 
by  y®  Methodists  &  Baptists  who  swarm  in  all  parts  of  this  & 
indeed  in  most  other  States  &  will  go  near  to  win  them,  the 
consequence  will  be  that  the  better  people  who  have  any  wish 
for  order  &  stability  will  in  their  own  defence  come  into  the 
Church — I  have  been  some  time  since  expecting  to  hear  of  your 
appointment  to  a  Bishoprick  of  a  Trait  of  country  in  the  Kings 
American  dominions  not  far  from  Canady — Scovel  or  Andrews 
wrote  me  last  Summer  some  things  about  it,  but  I  have  heard 
nothing  since,  wish  most  heartily  that  something  may  turn  up 
worth  your  accepting  that  may  bring  you  once  more  into  y® 
Land  of  your  jSTativity — I  have  dreamed  often  of  seeing  you 
but  when  I  awoke,  it  was  a  delusion — I  wish  it  was  a  reality 
that  you  was  once  more  an  Inhabitant  of  this  part  of  it  O, 
I  mean  I  wish  so  for  myself  and  many  many  other  of  your 
friends : — last  week  your  I^ephew  M".  Peters  Son  of  Jonathan 
was  at  my  house  from  Sharon  where  he  keeps  a  School  &  read 
Law,  and  thinks  of  pursuing  that  Study  more  effectually  either 
here  or  at  IST  Haven  or  Hartford,  he  is  sensible  &  I  think  bids 
fair  to  do  honor  to  his  Family  is  highly  respected  of  his  friends, 
told  me  he  had  a  letter  from  you  in  August  I  think — in  which 
if  I  remember  you  told  him  of  your  going  to  France,  &  of 
y^  ill  State  of  a  M"".  Peters  a  relation — ^you  have  omitted  to 
write  me  for  a  great  while  I  am  sorry,  but  will  endeavor  to 
provoke  you  all  I  can  to  renew  this  business,  and  if  you  knew 
how  much  satisfaction  your  letters  give  me  Grace  &  a  circle 
of  your  friends  in  this  Town  I  know  your  good  &  benevolent 
heart  would  lead  you  to  write  oftener  than  you  do — Jarvis, 
complains,  bitterly  that  he  is  neglected,  &  says  he  is  incapac- 
itated to  write  you  by  means  of  his  situation,  his  Church  is 
as  it  was,  but  a  Neiv  Ch^  is  formed  at  Chatham  &  is  on  y®  grow- 
ing Land  where,  Jarvis  christened  about  one  hundred  on  land- 


—53— 

ing,  adults  &  Infants  at  one  stand — at  present  that  Ch^  is 
connected  with  Hebron  where  they  have  a  young  man  a  M'. 
Brownson  educated  with  your  kinsman  &  put  into  Orders  by 
B^.  Seabury  but  believe  he  will  not  tarry  long  with  them — 
M^.  James  Sayre  is  now  at  Stratford,  in  the  place  of  our  old 
Friend  D''.  I.  Learning,  created  a  Doctor  by  the  president  of 
Columbia  College  N  York  last  Commencement,  D^  Learning 
has  with  his  wife  Phebe  for  y®  gratification  of  her  friends  in 
'New  York  viz :  Aunt  Hannah  &  others — removed  thither  Aunt 
Hannah  remains  still  Aunt  Hannah  &  will  continue  to  remain 
Aunt  Hannah  for  ever — Jarvis's  boy  is  a  fine  boy,  I  mean 
Isaac  y®  Son  of  Father  Abraham  &  !N^ancy  his  Consort — whom 

not 
I  have  seen  for  some  years — Nathaniel  of  Derby  is  yet  a 
Nathaniel  indeed — a  daughter  of  his  is  joined  with  a  M'. 
Blahesly  in  orders  at  Korthhaven  in  y®  neighbourhood  of  your 
Friend  Trumbull,  who  boasts  &  vaunts  himself  on  being  a 
correspondent  with  D"".  Peters,  take  care  that  you  do  not  burst 
him — Congress  you  know  have  left  N  York  for  Philadelphia, 
but  wherever  y^  go,  they  are  not  very  likely  to  give  much  satis- 
faction to  y^  good  people  of  y®  States,  having  learned  to  take 
care  of  themselves  &  forget  their  constituents  the  Six  Dollars 
p""  day  w'^^  they  have  secured  to  themselves  does  not  give  our 
frugal  Farmers  much  affection  for  them,  or  Zeal  for  their 
patriotism,  from  an  Aristocracy  we  may  get  next  a  Government 
more  nearly  resembling  a  limited  Monarchy,  but  whatever  shall 
take  place  it  will  very  little  concern  me,  as  I  have  little  further 
probably  to  do  in  this  wayward  World  being  now,  an  old  man 
with  many  wrinkles  a  pale  face  and  a  consumptive  habit — 
Grace  my  old  fashioned  &  very  good  wife  is  in  much  Y^  same 
condition, — but  I  hope  she  will  live  yet  a  good  while  she  is 
ambitious  to  be  thought  well  of  by  you  and  therefore  begs  me 
to  thank  you,  and  thank  you  again  for  your  many  &  particularly 

truths  I  mean 
your  late  favors,  forced  upon  you  by  M'.  Broome  &  Hillhouse 
I  meant  for  her  gowns  &c.  &c. — Hillhouse  is  your  everlasting 


—54— 

friend  &  y®  old  Philosopher  I  Mansfield — Levi  &  Anna,  Cald- 
well &  Clarinda  &  a  number  of  those  old  fashioned  friends 
still  continue — &  still  continue  your  warm  hearty  &  everlasting 
friends,  as  do  y^  present  generation  in  Connecticut — pray  did 
you  receive  a  line  from  me  by  y®  hands  of  a  brother  in  law 
of  Mark  Leavingsworth  Esq',  a  M""  Baldwin — if  this  reaches 
you  before  he  leaves  England  pray  let  me  hear  from  you — 
M'.  T.  Green  your  friend  just  this  moment  begs  his  love  to 
you  &  begs  you  to  accept  a  Sketch  of  y®  life  of  a  certain  Joseph 
Mountain  &  if  you  can  find  out  after  y^  reading  of  his  extra- 
ordinary life  that  there  is  any  truth  in  all,  or  any  of  the  facts 
recorded  in  it,  that  you  would  let  us  know  it, — The  General 
Assembly  now  sits  in  this  Town,  a  bill  for  a  Divorce  preferred 
by  I  Strong  Esquire,  of  our  upper  house  of  Assembly — and 
likewise  a  Bill  from  his  wife  who  was  Susanna  Wyllys  daughter 
of  old  Secretary  Wyllys,  has  occasioned  me  to  attend  y^  house 
e  several  days  &  will  take  up  possibly  two  or  three  days  more 
before  it  will  be  finished,  y®  consequence  if  a  Divorce  takes 
place,  will  be,  that  both,  will  remain,  without  help  meats  during 
life,  &  y^  one  dropped  from  all  public  entrustments,  let  them 
pass — I  do  not  wish  you  such  a  wife,  but  if  you  ever  again 
change  your  condition,  may  you  have  a  better,  yet  I  think  her 
far  better  than  her  husband — Our  business  in  State  Assemblies 
grow  less  &  less  and  will  finally  come  to  nothing — All  your 
friends  here  salute  you — especially  Levi  &  Anna,  &  W™.  G. 

&  Elizabeth  his  wife 
Hubbard  who  was  Betsey  Douglass,  daughter  of  B.  Douglass 
Es(f. — Grace  Nancy  Hubbard  my  Daughter  &  all  my  family 
begging  the  best  love  to  you  &  your  good  daughter.  Son  in  Law 
own  Son  &c. — &  believe  me  worthy  &  dear  Sir  yours  unalterably 

Bela  Hubbard. 
Rev*^.  D^  Peters 

Hubbard  Bela 
30  Octb  90 
rec**.  Dec'.  10— 


—55—  ' 

New  Haven  January  9'^  1791 
Dear  Sir: 

I  wrote  you  some  time  since  by  M'.  Samuel  Broome,  and 
learning  this  moment  that,  a  Vessel  is  bound  from  this  port 
to  London  I  cannot  fail  writing  you,  although  I  have  nothing 
that  I  can  say  to  you  that  can  afford  you  satisfaction.  I  told 
you  before  that  the  Gentlemen  from  America  who  have  been 
so  fortunate  as  to  be  recommended  to  your  acquaintance,  all 
speak,  highly  of  you,  as  not  only  a  good  and  benevolent  man 
of  a  great  Stock  of  Information,  but  as  a  warm  friend  to  your 
Native  Country:  &  I  think  D'".  Stiles  begins  to  think  more 
favorably  of  you,  yet  he  cannot  forgive  you  for  Writing  (as 
he  says  you  did)  the  history  of  Connecticut' — ^but  old  Secretary 
Wyllys  who  quarters  in  the  Sessions  of  the  Assembly  two  doorg 
from  me  will  not  be  a  moment  without  it,  he  reads  it  y®  last 
thing  when  he  goes  to  bed  &  the  first  thing  when  he  arises — 
but  few  people  now  are  disposed  to  laugh  with  us,  if  they  cry 
not,  they  have  the  inclination  at  least  to  be  serious,  the  expenses 
of  our  Government  &  the  duties  with  which  our  trade  is  sadled 
are  enough  to  make  those  furious,  who  expected  our  Inde- 
pendence would  be  productive  of  every  good — Our  general 
Assembly  are  now  setting  at  New  Haven — &  they  have  per- 
mitted a  Refugee  D'".  Jos.  Clarke  late  of  Stratford  but  of 
]^ew-Brunswick  to  collect  his  debts  in  this  State  so  that  you 
see  that  body  begins  to  be  inclined  to  open  th'.  Eyes  to  see 
things  as  right  &  just  which  but  a  little  while  ago  was  other- 
wise— I  think  in  a  letter  sent  you  by  M''.  Broome  I  forwarded 
our  Ecclesiastical  constitution,  and  before  this,  I  presume  you 
have  seen  our  iV^ew-common  prayer  hook.  I  would  thank  you 
for  your  candid  opinion  both  on  the  one  &  the  other — the  book 
is  adopted  but  not  as  yet  gone  into  general  use  but  suppose 
it  will — if  I  can  send  you  one  of  these  books  I  will — I  think 
the  Church  in  Connecticut  is  on  y®  whole  gaining  reputation 
old  prejudices  are  daily  giving  way — and  dissenters  think  more 
justly  of  religion — Trumball  is  your  friend,  has  sent  you  D'. 
Edwards  piece  ag*  Universalism,  I  think  Fzm  is  not  encreasing, 


—56— 

though  Tyler  continues  to  preach  it  as  heretofore  and  Murray, 
but  few  of  the  Clergy  in  this  Country  of  any  denomination 
have  appeared  on  its  side — but  Arianism  &  Socinianism  are 
I  think  gaining  ground  in  this  Country,  both  to  the  Eastward 
&  Westward,  our  Clergy  keep  Connecticut  to  y®  old  orthodox 
Doctrines — and  we  have  in  our  Church  a  worthy  set  of  young 
Clergymen  coming  forward  who  I  hope  will  make  good  y^  ground 
of  the  Old-ones,  of  these  there  are  Perry  of  Newtown,  Baldwin 
of  Litchfield,  Ives  of  Cheshire,  Hull  of  Branford,  Blakesley  of 
JSTorthhaven,  Shelton  of  Fairfield,  &c.  &c.,  Foot  of  Rye,  &  lately 
Ogilvie  of  ISTorwalk  with  others,  at  hebron  &  Chatham  th'  is 
a  M'.  Tillotson  Brunson  a  Scholar  &  man  of  sense  but  no  great 
preacher — D^  Walter  I  hear  has  left  Shelbourn  &  about  to 
settle  at  D''.  Cutlars  Chh.  in  Boston  &  Cambrige — a  M'. 
Ogden  is  at  Portsmouth  an  active  Clergyman  but  why  do  I 
take  up  your  time  in  mentioning  particular  men,  we  have  many 
in  the  Country  who  do  well  in  y'  stations — Old  Jarvis  wishes 
you  would  excuse  his  Indolence,  &  believe  him  at  bottom  your 
friend,  he  is  in  truth  an  old  man  and  his  son  &  lllTancy  to 
take  care  of — Scovel  &  Andrews  I  suppose  you  hear  of  now 
&  then  who  are  forever  seperated  from  me — I  wish  you  was 
on  this  side  the  Atlantuk  setled  as  a  Bp.  in  some  N^orthem  Sea 
&  when  that  shall  take  place,  I  intend  if  Grace  continues  with 
me  &  I  with  her,  to  do  myself  the  honor  to  become  one  of 
your  Presbyters — with  her  best  love  in  perfect  union  with  mine 
I  subscribe  myself  dear  Sir  your  very  affectionate  friend  & 
brother. 

Bela  Hubbard. 
Rev''.  D^  Peters. 

Reverend  Samuel  Peters,  L.  L.  D. 
Grosvenor  Place, 

London. 
Favoured  by  ) 
Cap*.  Brooks.) 

Hubbard  Rev**. 
9  Jan^.   1791 
rec"'.  April  6,-91 
Ans.  May  2''-91 


—57— 

New  Haven  April  5*^  1795. 
Dear  Sir, 

The  bearer  of  this  is  Mark  Leavenworth  Esquire  a  Lawyer 
of  ITew  Haven  who  with  his  wife  an  agreeable  woman  goes 
to  London  on  some  business  &  to  return,  he  has  promised  to 
deliver  this  &  the  letter  that  accompanies  it  to  you,  and  any 
little  Services  you  can  in  your  way  render  him  I  have  no  doubt 
you  will  afford  him  and  his  amiable  companion  he  is  a  sensible 
man  &  son  of  M"^.  Leavenworth  of  Waterbury — The  occasion 
of  my  troubling  you  now  is  this,  I  have  lately  received  a 
letter  from  Bishop  Inglis  inviting  me  to  accept  the  vacant 
Mission  of  Cumberland  in  N^.  Scotia — it  seems  it  is  an  old 
Mission  and  worth  as  he  tells  me  £70  Sterling  from  Govern- 
ment and  £40  Ster.  from  the  Society,  I  thought  these  Missions 
had  a  larger  allowance,  it  has  likewise  he  says  a  good  Glebe 
pertaining  to  it,  but  no  parsonage  house  built  upon  it,  the  mis- 
sion is  but  a  little  better  than  my  allowance  from  my  present 
Cure,  but  I  believe  I  cannot  engage  the  people  here  to  fix  a 
Salary  for  life,  and  I  think  with  a  numerous  family  rendered 
poor  from  a  poor  Salary  &  an  expensive  situation  I  ought  to 
accept  a  Certainty  for  an  uncertainty — you  know  I  can  obtain 
from  the  Bishop  &  Clergy  in  this  State  such  Testimonials  of 
my  good  moral  character  &  diligence  in  my  clerical  office  as 
will  be  fully  satisfactory  to  the  Society  &  the  Bishop  of  Nova 
Scotia  as  they  may  think  needful — I  have  accordingly  written 
to  D'.  Morice,  and  asked  his  assistance  with  y^  Society  to  add 
if  the  Mission  is  but  £40  to  add  £10  Ster — to  it  &  bare  the 
expense  of  removal  of  my  family,  or,  if  they  have  another 
Mission  in  that  quarter  of  the  World  with  a  larger  allowance, 
that  they  would  appoint  me  to  it — will  you  deliver  the  letter 
that  accompanies  this  to  Jf.  Morice,  and  use  your  influence 
in  my  favour,  it  will  be  absolutely  impossible  for  me  to  move 
to  Nova  Scotia  without  the  Societies  assistance — and  if  they 
would  be  so  good  as  to  advance  a  years  salary  it  would  be 
of  great  use  to  me,  as  I  might  then  lay  in  a  years  store  of 
provisions  much  cheaper  here  than  there,  I  could  have  wished 


—58— 

the  vacancy  had  been  in  'New  Brunswick  as  those  Missions  have 
£100  Ster  from  Government  and  £50  Ster — from  the  Society — 
but  believe  me  my  dear  Sir,  my  poverty  calls  too  so  strongly 
upon  me  to  do  something  for  my  family  better  y^  I  can  do  for 
them  in  this  place,  that  I  must  I  think  accept  of  this  Missions 
but  I  hope  that  in  consideration  of  my  former  long  Services 
for  about  Twenty  years  the  Society  will  consider  me,  and  in 
their  wisdom  &  goodness  make  the  Mission  at  least  equal  to 
any  other  in  that  Province,  you  will  much  oblige  me  in  urging 
my  necessities  which  are  truly  pressing — since  the  receipt  of 
your  letter  by  M'.  Baldwin,  our  American  papers  have 
announced  the  Rev**.  Jy.  Peters  Bishop  of  Canada  how  is  it? 
let  me  hear  from  you  as  soon  as  may  be,  your  friends  salute 
&  greet  you  well  here,  &  none  more  heartily  than  my  old 
companion — accept  our  best  wishes  for  you,  &  present  our  best 
love  to  M'  and  M"^.  Jarvis  with  our  congratulations  for  her 
happy  addition  to  her  family,  and  enfold  in  your  arms  for  me 
your  former  image  &  likeness  Birdseye  Peters  whom  God  bless 
and  make  him  good,  useful  &  happy  in  this  World  &  Eternally 
blessed  in  another  thus  prays  your  old  friend  and  most  obed*. 
humble  Serv*. 

Bela  Hubbard. 
I^.B.  you  recollect  the  Society  allowed 

Scovel  Andrews  &c.  some  back  Salaries 
Grace  wishes  you  to  hint  if  it  will  do  something 
of  this  for  me  assist  me  all  you  can  &  God  bless  you — 
The  Rev"*.  D'.  Peters— 
To 

The  Rev^  D'.  S.  Peters 

Grosvenor  place  or  Charlotte 
Street  Pimlico 

London — 
Favoured  by 

Mark  Leavenworth  Esq^ 

Hubbard  Rev<*. 
5'^  April  1791 
rec^  26  May — 


—59— 


JEREMIAH  LEAMING. 

Jeremiah,  a  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Abigail  (Turner)  Learning,  was  born 
in  Durham,  Connecticut,  and  was  baptized  by  Nathaniel  Chauncey,  who 
was  the  first  pastor  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  that  town,  on  May  12,  1717. 
His  father's  farm  appears  to  have  been  near  the  Middletown  line,  but  the 
family  evidently  attended  service  in  the  old  Congregational  Church  on 
Durham  Green. 

The  son  probably  worked  upon  the  farm  in  the  summer  and  attended 
school  in  the  winter  as  was  the  custom  in  New  England.  He  entered  Yale 
College  when  he  was  twenty-four  and  graduated  with  honor  in  1745. 
Among  his  classmates  was  Thomas  Bradbury  Chandler,  afterward  one  of 
the  most  noted  of  the  Colonial  Clergy  and  the  pleader  for  an  American 
Episcopate. 

It  was  while  in  College  that  Mr.  Learning  conformed  to  the  Church  of 
England  as  many  other  young  men  of  ability  were  then  doing.  He  studied 
theology  under  the  Rev.  Dr.  Johnson  of  Stratford.  He  became  lay  reader 
in  St.  Paul's  Church,  Norwalk,  very  much  to  the  gratification  of  the 
Congregation.  They  were  desirous  that  he  should  become  their  minister 
upon  his  ordination.  But  his  eminent  qualifications  as  a  teacher  caused 
Dr.  Johnson  to  commend  him  to  the  Vestry  of  Trinity  Church,  Newport, 
Rhode  Island,  as  a  suitable  principal  for  the  school  founded  under  the 
will  of  Nathaniel  Kay  and  assistant  to  the  Rev.  James  Honyman. 

Mr.  Leaming  went  to  England  in  the  spring  of  1748.  He  was  made 
deacon  June  5  of  that  year  by  Dr.  Gilbert,  Bishop  of  Llandaff,  and  ordained 
priest  Jvme  19,  by  Dr.  Hoadley,  Bishop  of  Winchester. 

Upon  his  return  he  entered  upon  his  duties  in  Newport.  He  was  very 
acceptable  and  remained  for  ten  years.  During  a  vacancy  after  the  death 
of  Mr.  Honyman  in  1750,  he  had  full  charge  of  the  parish  until  the 
arrival  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Pollen  in  1754.  In  1758  he  became  Rector 
at  Norwalk  and  missionary  in  a  wide  circuit. 

To  the  development  of  the  work  in  that  growing  town  he  gave  twenty-one 
years,  in  which  the  parish  grew  in  every  way  and  a  new  church  was  built. 

The  invasion  of  Norwalk  by  troops  under  the  British  General  Tryon,  in 
July,  1779,  completed  the  indignity  and  suffering  he  had  received  from 
the  Sons  of  Liberty,  and  the  mob  masquerading  under  the  name  of 
patriots.  He  had  been  confined  in  a  damp  room  at  the  jail,  compelled  to 
take  long  midnight  journeys  to  be  examined  as  to  his  tory  principles  and 
endured  other  outrages. 

The  disasters  of  that  summer  day  when  General  Tryon  burned  Norwalk 
were  great.  The  church,  rectory,  library  and  nearly  all  Mr.  Leaming'a 
household  goods  were  destroyed.  With  his  family  he  took  refuge  in  New 
York  City.  He  officiated  in  turn  with  other  loyalist  clergymen  in  the 
City  Hall,  as  St.  Paul's  Chapel  could  not  hold  all  the  people  who  desired 
to  attend. 

It  was  during  this  period  that  he  was  offered  in  April,  1783,  by  Mr. 
Jarvis,  Secretary  of  the  Convention,  which  met  at  Woodbury  on  March  25, 


—60— 

the  episcopal  chair  of  Connecticut.  His  infirmities  compelled  him  to 
decline,  for  he  had  contracted  a  serious  hip  disease. 

At  Easter,  1784,  Mr.  Leaming  became  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Stratford. 
In  that  time  of  uncertainty  while  the  Bishop  designate  was  seeking  con- 
secration in  England  his  wise  counsel  and  cheering  words  encouraged 
his  brethren.  With  Abraham  Jarvis,  the  Secretary  of  the  Convention, 
he  conducted  the  correspondence  with  Dr.  Seabury.  He  preached  the  sermon 
before  the  Convention  at  Middletown  on  August  3,  1785,  when  they  recog- 
nized Bishop  Seabury. 

When  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  a  continental  union  of  the  Church 
in  the  United  States  seemed  insurmountable,  he  was  asked  during  a  meeting 
of  the  Convocation  at  Wallingford  to  go  to  Scotland  to  be  made  a  coadjutor 
to  Bishop  Seabury.  He  again  refused  for  his  infirmities  had  grown 
greater. 

In  1790  he  resigned  his  parish  and  lived  for  some  time  in  the  city  of 
New  York  but  spent  the  later  years  of  his  life  at  New  Haven  in  the  home 
of  Mr.  James  A.  Hillhouse,  an  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Leaming. 

He  died,  September  15,  1804,  in  the  eighty-eighth  year  of  his  age. 

Dr.  Leaming  married  in  1751,  while  in  Newport,  a  relation  to  the  Kay 
family,  who  died  a  few  months  after.  He  married  in  1755,  Elizabeth  Peck 
of  New  York.  She  was  the  aunt  of  Hannah  (Peck)  Farmar,  the  wife  of 
Bishop  Abraham  Jarvis.  She  died  after  a  few  years.  A  life  interest  in  her 
large  estate  was  left  to  her  husband.  It  then  reverted  to  the  family  of  the 
Bishop. 

Dr.  Leaming  was  a  forcible  writer  and  sustained  well  his  part  in  a 
controversy  with  Noah  Welles  upon  Episcopal  government.  The  letters 
were  published  in  1765  and  1770.  His  Evidences  of  Christianity  and  Dis- 
sertations upon  various  subjects  are  of  value. 

Upon  his  tombstone  in  the  Grove  Street  Cemetery  he  is  characterized 
as  "well  instructed,  especially  in  his  holy  office,  unremitting  in  his  labours, 
charitable,  patient,  and  of  primitive  meekness." 


Stratford  ITov.  8,  1784. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  suppose  you  know,  I  have  consented  to  take  the  Care  of 
this  Church,  which  has  been  for  many  years,  in  a  very  broken, 
unsettled  State.  It  was  supposed,  that  it  was  necessary  in 
order  to  collect  this  Church  together,  that  an  old  man  should 
undertake  the  Task.  I  am  old  enough,  if  that  will  do,  and  if 
I  am  not  too  old,  I  make  no  doubt,  I  shall  accomplish  it. 

The  Chh.  at  ITorwalk,  all  wanted  me  to  return  there,  but 
that  Chh.  is  able  to  do  without  me.  It  would  have  been  for 
my  advantage  to  have  gone  there.     But  it  was  supposed  that 


—61— 

the  general  Good  of  the  Chh.  required  me  to  take  the  Charge 
of  this  Chh. 

I  suppose  you  will  taJce  this,  for  a  New  England  Cant: 
because  you  have  lately  lived,  where  the  Enquiry  is.  Who  will 
give  the  best  Salary,  not  where  can  I  do  the  most  Good. 

I  understand  it  has  been  represented  to  the  Society,  that  M^ 
Kneeland,  was  an  Enemy  to  the  British  Constitution.  This 
is  certainly  a  very  false  report.  And  I  hope  you  will  rectify 
the  Error. 

You  must  send  over  a  power  of  Attorney,  or  come  yourself 
immediately,  or  you  will  be  in  danger  of  losing  your  fortune 
in  this  State,  a  word  to  the  wise  is  Sufficient. 

Joseph  Peters,  Daughter  claims  an  £100  of  your  Estate ;  and 
says  you  had  it,  at  your  Brothers  death;  and  she  is  about 
take  your  land  and  sell  it,  to  pay  the  Debt.  I  am  your  sincere 
friend. 

J.  Leaming. 
Society 
P.S.     I  wonder  the     have  not  let  me  know, 
that  approve  of  my  Endeavor  to  raise  up  Doc"^. 
Johnson,  Chh — 

We  all  join  in  Love  to  you  and  Hanah:   M"".  Birdseye  is  much 

better  with  whom  M''^  Leaming  and  I  live  at  this  time.     Your 

Son  is  well  and  has  rec^.  your  Letter,  July  20. 

Leaming  Rev*^. 

mv.  8,  1784. 

rec^  Jan.  25,  1785. 

Ans"^.  Feb.  17,  1785. 


Stratford  Feb.  15,  1785, 
My  dear  Sir: 

been 
The  Letters  you  have  sent  have      answered.     But  many  of 
them  were  a  long  time  before  they  came  to  hand.     The  Letter 

'till 
you  wrote  Aug^  11*^.  did  not  arrive  at  IsTew  York       the  19 


—62— 

Jan^.  this  is  last  I  rec*^.  altho  I  had  rec^.  two  before  of  a  later 
date.  I  have  rec*^.  the  Letter  directed  to  M^  Jarvis  and  the 
committee,  a  few  days  before.  That  Letter  is  not  answered. 
But  if  you  have  rec^  the  Letters  we  wrote  before,  you  have 
all  that  you  wish  to  know — If  you  have  not,  you  may  be 
assured  that  the  Clergy  will  gladly  receive  you,  in  this  State, 
in  case  you  bring  Episcopal  Authority,  from  a  valid  Line. 
For  the  Clergy  here  are  resolute  to  Support  the  Church,  at  all 
Events.  And  they  are  upon  so  good  Terms,  with  the  other 
Denominations,  that  we  have  their  good  wishes  that  we  may 
succeed.  You  will  think  this  is  strange,  but  the  case  is  thus, 
Infidelity  is  coming  in  like  a  flood,  and  they  own  that  the 
Chh.  is  a  Bulwark  against  Infidelity:  and  say  further,  that 
they  (the  Clergy)  of  this  State  will  choose  a  mg"".  for  a  Bp, 

he 
that  would  be  as  agreeable  to  them,  as  would  be  to  the  Chh. 
That  they  can  confide  in  the  Clergy  that  will  choose  one  that 
is  Orthodox  in  his  principles,  and  regular  in  his  Conduct.  This 
is  what  I  have  heard  myself  from  some  principal  people.  The 
truth  is,  they  have  laid  down  their  Arms. 

It  is  a  very  melancholy  thing,  to  find  that  some  Bps.  have 
lost  all  their  Influence,  in  matters  of  a  religious  Nature.  But 
it  will  not  be  long,  if  this  is  the  case,  before  they  will  find 
themselves  in  a  worse  Condition,  than  the  despised  Clergy  of 

may 
Connecticut.     If  they  lose  their  immense  Riches,  they     be  glad 
to  fly  to  America :   But  after  all  the  slights  they  have  cast  upon 
us  here,  we  must  be  very  humble  indeed  to  receive  them.     If 

not  act 
they  believe  that  Episcopacy  is  necessary,  they  do      according 
to  their  faith. — 

to 

If  they  have  Cond  so  wisely  as  live  in  friendship  and 
Amity  with  Each  other,  and  have  the  love  of  the  Clergy  and 
Laity,  of  whom  they  should  be  afraid.  If  they  have  not,  every 
Blast  of  popular  Commotion  must  frighten  them. 


—63— 

But  enough  of 

You  must  not  come  over  without  the  Episcopal  Character. 

day 
I  have  sent  money  to  Miss  Maria  and  I  have  this  ordered 
some  more,  and  shall  take  care  of  her.  I  have  been  cut  short 
in  my  income  by  a  set  of  people  who  went  into  N.  York  after 
the  peace ;  took  possession  of  my  houses,  lived  in  them  till 
the  Rent  amounted  to  more  than  £400 — and  went  out  without 

they 
a  Copper:  indeed  nothing  could  be  expected,  for  went  into 
the  City  without  any  thing.  And  the  City  was  forced  to  sup- 
port with  fuel  and  Bread;  and  my  houses  has  a  tax  £100 — 
to  support  those  that  lived  in  them  without  any  Rent,  so  you 
see,  what  is  in  the  world.  One  third  must  maintain  all  the 
rest. 

Adue — dearest  heart — 

J.  Leaming. 


The  Rev"*. 

Doc^ 

Seabury 

To  the  Care  of  the) 

Rev^  MI.  Peters      ) 

Pimlico              ) 

London. 

Rec*^.  April  23 
answe'^.— 23 
Ship  Minton  Cap*. 
I^^estrals. — 

Stratford  Feb.  15,  1785. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  now  sit  down  to  give  you  some  Advice  concerning  your 
Son.  There  is  no  Latin  School  in  this  Town;  and  I  wished 
to  do  something  to  help  him  in  the  Knowledge  of  the  Latin 
Tongue.  But  I  was  disappointed  in  my  View;  he  does  not 
love  his  Book,  and  having  no  one  with  him  to  Stimulate  his 
Ambition,   from  a  disrelish  to  Learning,  he  soon  contracted 


—64— 

is 
an  absolute  hatred  to  it.     There      no  such  thing,  as  you  know, 
as  forcing  a  Child  to  learn.     He  is  an  Active,  Sprightly  Boy; 
and  if  he  were  placed  among  a  iN'umber  of  other  Lads,  his 
pride  would  lead  him  to  be  one  of  the  foremost  of  them;    and 

him 
his  Abilities  would  Support  in  the  Attempt.  In  this  View 
of  the  Affair  I  sent  him  back  to  his  Grandfather  who  is  exces- 
sively fond  of  him ;  and  wishes  to  do  every  thing  in  his  power 
to  make  a  man  of  him :  but  the  old  Gentleman,  for  the  troubles 
he  has  had  have  made  him  old  indeed.  His  Son  went  away 
after  the  Law  was  made,  by  which  his  whole  Estate  was  con- 
fiscated.    And  this  lay  intermixed  with  his  Fathers,  in  such 

the 
manner,  that       old  Gentleman  was  ruined,  unless  he  bought 

help 
it.  And  doing  this  in  his  old  Age,  and  no  one  to  him,  he 
is  embarrassed  to  a  great  Degree.  If  he  had  been  able,  he 
would  have  sent  your  Son  where  he  might  had  the  best  Advan- 
tage. It  is  not  want  of  good  will  to  the  Lad,  but  for  want 
of  money.  He  has  expected  you  would  have  given  a  power 
of  Atorney  to  some  one,  and  that  some  of  the  availes  of  your 
Estate  would  have  been  ordered  by  you  for  the  Education  of 
your  Son.  You  must  see  and  know,  that  all  M"".  Birdseys 
hopes  are  centered  in  those  two  grandchildren  that  are  with 

Gentlemans 
him.     You  hurt  the  old        feelings  very  much,  in  your  last 
Letter  to  him,   in  which  you   desired  him  to   send  you  the 

your  Son 
Account  of  what  Expense  he  had  been  at,  in  bringing  up, 
and  you  would  pay  him.  He  says,  he  never  gave  you  any 
Reason,  by  his  Conduct  to  you,  for  you  to  treat  him,  in  such 
a  manner.  And  therefore  was  the  more  surprised  to  meet 
with  it. 

I  have  sent  a  Letter,  to  Tf.  Seabury  addressed  to  your  care, 
supposing  that  the  Jf.  may  have  left  England  before  the 
Letter  may  reach  thither.     If  that  should  be  the  case,  make 


—65— 
the  Letter  your  own  property,  my  best  regards  to  your  Dear 

Adue,  my  heart — 


Daughter. 


J.  Learning. 


Learning  Rec"*. 
Feb^.  15-1785 
Rec^  April  23— 
Answ*^.  23— 


EBENEZER  DIBBLEE. 

Ebenezer,  a  son  of  Wakefield  Dibblee  of  Danbury,  Connecticut,  was  born 
about  1715.  He  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1734.  The  death  in  his 
senior  year  threw  him  entirely  upon  his  own  exertions  for  a  living.  He 
studied  theology  and  on  March  4,  1734-5,  the  Fairfield  East  Association 
licensed  him  to  preach.  For  ten  years  he  occupied  the  pulpit  of  vacant 
Congregational  Churches  in  Fairfield  County,  but  apparently  had  no  call 
to  settle. 

In  1745  he  conformed  to  the  Church  of  England  and  became  lay  reader 
at  Stamford.  He  went  to  England  for  ordination  in  April,  1748,  partly  at 
the  expense  of  the  parish.  He  was  made  deacon  and  ordained  priest  in 
September  of  that  year  by  the  Bishop  of  London. 

In  addition  to  his  duties  in  Stamford  and  Greenwich  he  went  into  Litch- 
field County  and  the  destitute  portion  of  Westchester  County.  His  min- 
istration at  Sharon  led  to  the  building  of  a  Church  in  that  town  in  1758. 
He  was  instrumental  in  fostering  the  Church  in  Danbury  and  officiated  at 
the  opening  of  a  new  Church  building  there  in  1763.  His  work  was  of  the 
most  arduous  character  but  was  always  done  with  cheerful  content.  He 
had  the  warm  regard  of  the  whole  community  in  which  he  lived.  He 
remained  at  his  post  during  the  Revolution,  and  so  great  was  the  esteem 
in  which  he  was  held  that  he  was  practically  undisturbed  by  mobs  or 
patriot  violence.  He  suff'ered,  however,  greatly  from  the  necessary  with- 
holding of  his  stipend  from  the  Venerable  Society  and  the  inability  of  the 
congregations  he  served  to  give  him  a  comfortable  support.  After  the 
declaration  of  peace  the  distress  which  was  everywhere  afl'ected  him.  He, 
however,  continued  his  ministrations  without  murmur  or  complaint  until 
the  end  of  earth  came  in  the  eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age  and  the  fifty-first 
of  his  ministry. 

Upon  his  monument  is  this  eulogium:  "He  became  endeared  to  all  by 
his  unwavering  devotion  to  their  best  interests,  his  holy  life,  and  unre- 
mitted zeal  in  the  name  of  Christ  and  His  Church." 

Mr.  Dibblee  married  in  1736,  Joanna,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Joanna 
( Selleck )   Bates  of  Stamford. 


—66— 

His  son  Frederick  was  for  many  years  a  highly  honored  clergyman  in 
New  Brunswick. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  name  is  spelled  both  Dibble  and  Dibblee. 
Usually  the  Rector  of  Stamford  employed  two  ee's. 


State  of  Connecticut 

Stamford  Aug^  1,  1788. 
Reverend  and  dear 
Sir — 

I  have  yours  of  the  24*^^^  of  March  before  me,  and  note  the 
contents. 

The  forsaken  Miss  Sally  Thorp,  with  your  approbation,  hath 
this  day  in  my  presence,  drawn  a  set  of  bills  upon  you  for 
£25  Sterling,  payable  at  ten  days  sight,  in  favour  of  M^ 
Moses  Rogers  merchant  in  New  York.  Uppon  your  honoring 
the  bill,  he  promises  to  her  the  money,  with  interest,  at  5  or 
6  p""  cent  above  par. 

Miss  Sally  wishes  me  to  give  you  this  advice,  with  her  tribute 
of  gratitude. 

It  is  a  seasonable  favour  to  Miss,  a  promising  young 
woman  for  her  years,  and  manner  of  Education. — Her  parental 

through 
neglect  hath  been  surprising,  as  it  is  reported,  her  father, 
your  kind  influence,  hath  a  pension  and  is  not  under  needy 
circumstances.  Her  friend's  here,  are  ill  able  to  support  her 
without  her  own  industry.  I  say  no  more,  in  this  case,  as  in 
many  others  there  is  a  whole  within  a  whole. 

Morice 

I  received  your  advice  that  Doctor  had  paid  you  my  bill 
of  £25,  and  advised  you  that  I  had  drawn  a  bill  upon  you  for 
£20  in  favour  of  M"".  Moses  Rogers  of  ISTew  York,  wishing 
£5  worth  of  books  might  be  sent  to  his  care  for  me ;  as  I 
have  heretofore  mentioned ;  of  which,  &  concerning  my  son 
and  his  prospects,  I  trust  you  must  have  received  advice. — 
Bishop  Inglis  was  expected  this  month  at  New  Brunswick, 
and  expect  soon  to  hear  if  Frederick  goes  into  Orders  or  not. 


—67— 

I  am  not  too  much  prejudiced  in  the  Bishops  fa-/,  I  have 
no  reason  to  be,  from  the  character  he  sustains  in  many 
respects,  especially  from  his  unpolite  treatment  of  me  just 
before  his  departure  from  I^ew  York, — Nevertheless  since  he 
is  honor'd  with  the  Mitre,  I  sincerely  wish  and  pray  he  may 
do  honor  to  religion,  the  Church  of  God,  and  the  dignity  of 
the  office  he  sustains.  The  hearts  of  Bishops  as  well  as  Kings 
are  in  the  hand  of  God,  and  he  can  turn  them  as  the  rivers 
of  water  are  turned — 

Our  English  Jesuits,  I  think  equal,  if  not  exceed,  any  in 
France  &  Spain — 

Great  are  the  expectations,  pompous  are  the  representations 
of  the  same,  of  the  increasing,  flourishing  state  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church  in  genal,  in  the  united  States ;  in  'New  England 
in  particular.  Would  to  God  it  may  be  true.  The  prevailing 
influence  of  honor,  Power,  Reputation,  Interest,  are  against 
us.     Under  the  present  load  of  public  taxes,  the  unsettled  state 

be 
of  our   Government  I   fear   not   likely   to        betterd,   by  the 

or  constitution 
new  revolution      which  will  undoubtedly  take  place ;   together, 
with  the  incapacity  of  the  Ch*"  to  support  it  self  and  their 
dignified  Clergy ;   I  can  se  no  such  happy  &  glorious  prospect. — 

My  Church  rises  but  slowly  out  of  its  ruins,  labours  under 
uncommon  obstructions,  insufficient  for  my  support,  clogged 
the  third  time  with  an  expensive  law  suit,  with  my  good  old 
friend  M^  John  Lloyd,  demanding  Hundreds,  for  what  he 
expended  upon  it  from  its  infancy  to  its  maturity  and  to  the 
baneful  Independency  of  the  United  States — at  which  period 
he  renounced  all  connection  with  me  and  concern  for  the  Ch^, 
and  seemingly  with  as  much  zeal  endeavors  to  demolish  it, 

he  it 

as  in  a  laudible  manner      endeavoured  to  raise      up. 

The  adverse  dispensations  of  providence  are  great  to  me  and 
mine.  (Gods  will  be  done)  Doctor  Morice's  neglect  to  answer 
my  last  letter  to  him,  and  address  to  the  venerable  Society, 


—68— 

and  your  Silence,  prognosticates ;  I  am  in  future,  in  the  winter 
of  life,  to  end  my  days  in  want  and  its  constant  attendant, 
contempt. 

It  is  my  dear  friend,  with  reluctance  I  repeat  my  grievan- 
ces— I  know  the  goodness  of  your  heart;  can  no  method  be 
devised  for  my  relief,  in  consequence  of  my  declining,  in  the 
winter  of  life,  and  cold  climate  of  adversity,  to  remove  to 
Nova  Scotia.  Necessity  not  choice  prevents.  Heaven  forbids 
it,  by  my  great  age  &  M".  Dibble's,  now  in  her  80^^  year; 

want  of 
and  in  the      health  in  the  family,  the  eifects  of  my  persevering 
in  that  line  of  duty  allotted  me  during  the  late  Rebellion ;   out 

to 
of  Loyalty  to  my  Sovereign,  and        confirm  &  preserve  his 
Subjects,  and  members  of  my  Church  in  dutiful  Obedience  to 
Church  and  State;   at  the  hazard  of  all  that  is  dear  in  life. 

I  mean  not  to  arraign  the  conduct  of  the  Venerable  Society; 
but  I  sincerely  thank  them  for  their  past  favours,  and  pray 
God  to  prosper,  &  succeed,  &  reward  all  their  most  pious  & 

ta 
charible  designs,  but  I  see  no  more  merit  in  fleeing  from  the 
storm,  than  abiding  it;    nor  any  more  inconsistency,  in  con- 

u 
tinning  their  vanted  charity  to  such  as  remain  unable  to  flee 
under  Royal  protection,  after  the  winds  &  rains  abates,  but 
having  suifered  shipwreck;  then  in  granting  their  favours  to 
such,  as  being  in  the  Noon  of  the  life  can  flee  under  their 
Shadow  or  for  the  State  to  continue  their  Pensions  to  their 
Chaplains,  residing  and  officiating  as  ministers  of  religion  in 
the  United   States.      Neither  can  I  see  why  such  Loyalists 

suffered 
have     the  loss  of  all  things,  for  their  Loyalty  to  their  Sovereign, 

constitution 
and  attachment  to  the  british      in  Ch^  &  State,  are  not  equally 

favour 
entitled  to  Royal      and  recompense,  as  well  as  those  that  fled. 


—69— 

not  having  taken  an  active  part  against  Government;  but 
were  Serving  the  interests  of  it  effectually,  by  encouraging 
persevering  Loyalty,  amidst  the  most  fiery  trials.  God  bless 
you  my  dear  Sir,   for  your   past   attention   to  my  unhappy 

do 
Situation,  readiness  to       good  to  the  suffering  State  of  your 
countrimen    in    general,    &    your    brethren    in    particular. — 
I  I 

But  if  am  forsaken  in  my  old  age,  and  while  am  grey 
headed,  by  my  best  friends  and  Benefactors,  mine  integrity 
1  will  hold  fast,  my  heart  shall  not  reproach  me  so  long  as 
I  live;  and  the  uncommon  share  of  health,  I  am  personally 
favoured  with,  shall  be  employed  in  promoting  the  interest  of 
the  best  religion,  and  best  constituted  Ch^  in  the  World. — 

My  time  is  now  short,  the  fashion  of  this  world  will  soon 
pass  away ;  I  am  sick  of  this  world ;  were  it  not  for  my  tender, 
connexions,  am  so  worn  out  with  trouble,  that  I  could  wish 
to  sing  good  old  Simeons  nunc  dimittis. 

All  things  continue  in  much  in  Statu  quo. 

Doctor  Seabury  continues  to  conduct  with  propriety.  No 
alterations  in  Ecclesiastical  Polity  hath  taken  place. — 

Please  to  make  my  compliments  acceptable  to  Doctor  Morice. 
IsTo  Coalition  with  B —  Seabury  takes  place.  Bishops  Provost 
and  White  refuse  to  unite  with  him  in  constituting  a  Bishop 
for  Virginia.  Brother  Hubberd  is  meditating  a  Removal  to 
St.  Johns  N-  Brunswick.     Bowdon  to  West  Indies. — 

My  Prayers  &  best  wishes  attend  you.  Affectionate  regards 
to  M"".  Jarvis  &  his  Lady.  His  friends  well.  His  Sister 
Levina  is  addressed  by  M^  Todd  in  Deacons  Orders.  A  likely 
young  Gentleman,  a  good  Speaker.     I  prophesy  a  Match. 

Eev^  Sir 

Yours  most  Affectionately, 

Ebenez'"  Dibblee. 
Rev^.  Doctor  Peters. 


—70- 


Stamford,  State  of  Connecticut 
OctoV^  22.  1789. 
Reverend,  Dear  Doctor. 

The  17^^  instant  M'.  Bates  delivered  your  favor  of  the  4*^ 
of  August.  I  sincerely  thank  you  for  the  advice  you  give 
me,  and  that  the  venerable  Society  in  their  charity  pay  any 
attention  to  the  unhappy  incumstanies  of  your  aged  brother 
in  Christ,  and  your  most  affectionate  friend,  almost  worn  out 
with  the  troubles  of  life. 

Last  May  I  wrote  you  a  long  letter,  as  soon  as  I  got  the 
affair  of  Miss  Thorps  bill  setled ;  with  an  acknowledgement 
of  the  receipt  of  the  books  you  sent.  I  have  neglected  no 
letter  I  ever  received  from  you,  without  a  return  of  my  most 
grateful  acknowledgements.  I  am  happy  to  hear  the  candle 
of  the  Lord  Shines  bright  upon  your  tabernacle.  May  the 
best  of  heavens  blessings  always  attend  you  and  yours  &c. 

I  am  chained  down  here,  to  suffer  the  inflictions  of  an  angry 
God.     Your  letter  found  my  family  in  the  greatest  adversity. 

never 
My  Daughter  Polly,  who  had  fully  recovered  the  steadiness 
and   tranquility   of   her   mind,    since   by   the   terrour   of   our 
Sovereign  Lords  the  Mob  in  the  begining  of  our  late  troubles, 

of 
she  was   thrown   into   a   state   insanity;     hath    a   third   time, 
gradually  relapsed  into  it;    for  3  months  past  I  have  been 
confined  to  close  attention  to  her,  scarcely  can  go  out  but  to 
attend  public  duty.     She  is  reduced  to  the  lowest  state,  her 

days 
life  not  expected  many;    we  thot  her  expiring  this  morning; 
but  she  revived ;  but  still  as  discomposed.     Gods  will  be  done — 
In  this  time  of  life,  and  scenes  of  adversity,  how  could  it  be 
that  possible  for  me  to  remove  ? 

I  envy  not  M'.  Moore,  Beach,  good  M'.  Leaming,  their 
deserved  honors.  The  honour  which  comes  from  God,  my 
highest  ambition  is  to  obtain. 

I  can  only  advert  a  little  to  the  concerns  of  the  Ch°.  Bishop 
Seabury  an  ornament  to  the  Episcopal  character,  is  gone  to 


—71— 

an 
Philadelphia,  accompanied  with  Hnbbard  &  Jarvis  to  adjourned 
Convention  of  the  Southern  States ;  who  have  in  ample  man- 
ner recognized  his  ecclesiastical  dignity,  a  happy  Condition  we 
hope  will  succeed;  Unity,  Uniformity,  in  doctrine  worship 
&  government  be  established,  without  any  mutilated  Service. 
But  unhappy.  Bishop  Provost  I  hear  refused  to  attend  P  Con- 
vention, and  treated  Bishop  Seabury  at  ]^ew  York  with  entire 
neglect. — I  lay  down  my  pen  to  attend  my  distressed  child. 
M^   Bowden  sailed  last    Saturday  week,   with  his  family, 

of  so 
for  S*.  Croix,  West  Indies,  we  lament  the  loss  worthy  and 
good  a  man.  Public  annimadversions  begin  to  appear,  upon 
the  doings  of  our  new  Sovereigns  the  Congress.  They  treat 
religion,  and  the  publick  support  and  encouragement  of  it  with 
neglect.  The  Ch*".  must  stand  upon  its  own  ground:  and  for 
the  want  of  a  better  establishment  and  support  will  rise  but 
slowly  to  a  high  degree  of  estimation.  Sectaries  of  every 
denomination,  abound. 

M^  Bates  cannot  he  says  furnish  me  with  proper  information 
concerning  the  power  of  appointing  you  my  Agent  &c.  I  shall 
soon  forward  it. 

Our  prayers  &  best  wishes  attend  you. 
Your  ever  most  affec*.  Brother 
In  adversity. 

Ebenezer  Dibblee. 
Kind  compliments  wait  upon  IP.  Jarvis  and  his  Lady. 
Reverend  Doctor  Peters. 


Stamford  State  of  Connecticut. 
November  6,  1789. 
My  dear,  and  Worthy  Friend : 

Agreeable  to  the  intimation  in  my  last,  I  have  it  now  in 
my  power  to  send  you  my  power  of  Attorney,  hoping  it  may 
be  of  service.  The  kind  offices  you  render  me,  meets  with, 
and  merits,  my  most  grateful  acknowledgements. 


-72- 

The  melancholy  distressed  state  of  my  family,  in  consequence 
of  my  Daughter  Polly's  Insanity,  into  which  she  hath  relapsed, 
and  continued  in  ever  since,  last  June,  engrosses  all  my 
attention,  scarce  leaves  room  for  parochial  duty. 

to  remove 

How  could  the  Venerable  Society  think  it  practicable  in  this 
time  of  life,  encumbered  with  a  family,  ruined  by  the  late 
Rebellion;  and  reduced  by  oppression,  for  persevering  in  a 
line  of  duty  appointed  me;  or  cruelly  desert  me  in  this  day 
of  adversity  and  winter  of  life  ? 

Their  charitable  interposition  and  application  to  Government 
for  the  relief  of  my  necessities;  which  if  not  successful  and 
the  encouragement  you  give  of  the  renewal  of  their  charity, 
will  merit,  and  meet  with  the  most  grateful  resentments. 

If  there  is  in  your  hands  or  M'^.  Jarvis's  any  money  granted 
by  Government,  or  shall  be  granted,  for  the  relief  of  the  Widow 
and  children  of  my  unhappy  son,  I  wish  it  might  be  stopped 
and  retained  for  the  discharge  of  a  Debt  of  his  to  a  consider- 
able amount;  to  the  payment  of  which,  I  am  unexpectedly 
liable  and  exposed. 

His  Widow  inherits  all  the  Lands  destined  to  her  husband 
and  his  effects,  &c.  &c.  &c. 

The  grand  Convention  at  Philadelphia  is  broke  up,  we  are 
to  have  a  federal  Ch^.  as  well  as  State.  I  have  received  no 
particular  authentic  account  of  their  doings;  am  only  told, 
mutilations,  omissions  and  alterations  in  our  Service,  are 
inconsiderable  &;  of  no  importance.  As  they  judged  in  their 
superour  wisdom.  Poor  Athanasius  is  beheaded,  his  Creed 
condemned  as  heretical.  Areans  Socinians  &c.  may  now  fill 
our  Churches. 

Bishop  Seabury  did  himself  honour,  but  returned  with  the 
loss  of  a  fifth  part  of  his  dignity;  as  four  fifths  of  the  lower 
house  of  Convocation,  made  up  with  lay  delegates,  will  carry 
any  point  against  the  House  of  Bishops.  I  suspect  this  State 
will  not  adopt  the  doings  of  the  general  Convention. 

The  Convocation  here,  has  agreed  and  unanimously  voted, 
and  adopted  the  Ch*".  of  England,  as  the  Standard  of  Orthodoxy, 


—73— 

her  form  of  Government  &  worship,  as  the  rule  of  their  faith 
and  practice,  unconnected  with  the  State. 

I  may  be  able,  perhaps,  in  my  next  to  advise  you  more 
minutely  of  the  doings  of  the  late  council  of  Trent. 

I  cannot  see  how  Episcopacy  &  Republicanism   can  well 
coalesce.     Bowdon,  truly  wrote  well,  as  you  observed  in  his 

a 
first  and  2^.  Letter  to  Stiles ;  and  the  Weaver  was  just  and  good 
rod  of  correction  to  the  pedantick  M'.  Sherman.  But  I 
cannot  see  the  wisdom  of  reviving  those  religious  controversies, 
in  our  present  unsettled  state ;  unless  with  an  evil  design  to 
prejudice  Government  here  against  the  Ch''.  as  unfriendly  to 
the  united  States I  impatiently  wait  for  your  next. 

The  best  of  heavens  blessings  attend  you,  and  yours ;    is  the 
sincere  wish  and  fervent  prayer  of, 
Reverend  Sir 

Your  humble  Servant 

and  most  affectionate  Brother  in  Christ. 

Ebenezer  Dibblee. 
Reverend  Doctor  Peters. 

Dibblee  Rev"*. 
6  :N'ov'.  1789: 
rec^  March  9-1790. 
ans*^.  June  5-90. 


Stamford  State  of  Connecticut 
SemV  27,  1790. 
My  Rev*^.  dear  Sir : 

Your  favour  of  the  5^^  of  June  1790,  I  received  the  25'^ 
Instant.  In  which  I  have  the  melancholy  advice,  that  nothing 
as  yet  was  done  for  me,  either  by  the  Commissioners  of 
American  claims,  or  the  Venerable  Society — 

I  am  full  of  anxiety  to  know  my  fate.  Have  you  received 
my  power  of  Atorney  &c.  &c.  ?  If  there  be  no  prospect  of 
relief,  I  must,  at  least  I  can  see  no  other  way,  to  avoid  con- 


—74— 

tempt  but  throw  my  self  upon  the  Societies  Charity,  &  ask  for 
a  living  in  Nova  Scotia,  or  New  Brunswick  rather. 

Your  letter  found  me,  still  in  the  greatest  family  trouble, 
Polly  is  no  better,  but  remains  insane,  a  miserable  unhappy 
object,  engaging  our  whole  attention. 

The  Church  slowly  &  gradually  rises  out  of  its  ruinous  State, 
but  incapable  of  affording  me  &  dependents  an  adequate  sup- 
port, &  in  character,  and  in  this  evening  of  life,  &  cold  climate 
of  adversity  to  think  of  removing,  it  is  impossible — Heaven 
forbids  it — I  must  have  my  distressed  family — The  Ch^  under 
my  care  will  crumble  to  pieces — No — I  hope  still,  &  will  cast 
my  burden  upon  the  Lord. 

I  pray  God  to  still  the  tumults  among  the  Nations,  &  prevent 
the  calamities  of  a  general  War. 

Our   Civil  &  Ecclesiastical   Policy  is  upon  no  permanent 

no 
foundation.  The  bond  of  peace  is  broken,  and  cement  to 
Christian  Union — Our  new  form  of  Ch'^  Government  &  puri- 
fication of  the  Liturgy  will  take  place — but  not  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  old  English  Churchmen — They  court  B"^.  Seabury, 
but  will  never  coalesce  with  him  in  a  Consecration  of  a 
Bishop.  Sectaries  abound — Error  is  multiplied  upon  Error — 
Division  upon  Subdivision — The  Ch^.  I  fear  will  become  a 
scene  of  confusion,  discordant  forms  of  worship — Inconsistent 
systems  of  faith — The  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us, — Make  my 
Compliments  acceptable  to  Harry  Lloyd  Esq'".  &  his  Lady — 
Mr.  Jarvis  &  his  agreeable  Consort ;  his  Connexion®  are  well — 
May  you  be  honord  with  a  Mitre — I  hope  to  meet  you  in  the 
undisturbed  delight  of  Paradise — My  prayers  &  best  wishes 
attend  you — I  am  with  sentiments  of  unfeigned  esteem 
Eev''.   Sir 

Your  aged,  afflicted  Affec*.  B^°. 

Ebenezer  Dibblee. 
N.B.     I  have  wrote  to  the  Society  &  Doctor  Morice,  Doctor 
Chandler   is   gone,    for   heaven — Doctor    Beaming   returns    to 
OJV  private  life — 
■>r^        Sundry  of  B''.  Seabury's  Disciples  cannot  find  Cures. 


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